As I was reading through social media some last week, I came across a prayer that a friend of mine had written. It was not eloquently worded, or even grammatically correct throughout most of it. But, it spoke to me in a way that it may not have been intended to. One line read, "God, we need you now, more than ever,". When my eyes first met this plea, it only registered as another cry to God on Facebook. Then, after moving on with my day a bit, a question hit me. I felt uncomfortable; my view of my friend's words turned from acceptance to, "Why do we need God now more than we did a year ago? Why do I need God more today than I did yesterday?".
Then, as I was lying in bed wrestling my fully awake mind with my exhausted body, I remembered Mark 4.
We are exactly like the disciples in the middle of a storm. Panic takes us over when things get chaotic. Our faith shrinks, our minds race...in short: we go nuts. Why? That's what human nature tells us to do: human instinct, fight or flight, [insert another psychology term here]...right?
The truth is, I need Jesus today the same as I did yesterday, the many years before, and I will need Him every day for the rest of my natural born life. Why? Because without Him. I am filled with the number one problem we face in the world: sin.
In Mark 4, Jesus shows why He is my hero. He does 3 things. One, He knows what the disciples need and He gives it to them. What an awesome and providing Father He is to them! They needed to be and feel safe. Two, he tells the winds and waves to be still. Although He's talking to the elements in this moment, I still hear Him speaking directly to the disciples and to me with those words: be still. Finally, three, He challenges the disciples hearts by asking, "Do you still have no faith?", not because He wants to humiliate them, or make them feel inadequate, but because He loves them and knows that they are capable of believing and being vessels of faith in a powerful and living God.
That is us! Up, down, left, and right, that is us.
Where is our faith? Where is my faith? Jesus gives us a spirit of boldness that allows us to do so much more than we can imagine. He even tells us we will do greater things than He did. Chew on that for a second. My 5"5 frame, 130 pound, silly, food loving self will do GREATER things than Jesus did on earth.
Yes, the world is going crazy! Yes, it will continue to get worse! Yes, we need Jesus now! BUT, we have always needed Him the same. So did the disciples.
I challenge you, in the middle of this storm we are suffering through, take heart. Know that Jesus did this thing called life and rocked it. He kicked it's butt and tells us that we can do the same (John 16:33). Have faith and know that men cannot do anything to your soul because that is in The Lord's control (Matthew 10:28). Call on Jesus daily and even when the storm seems to pass, call on Him harder (1 Chronicles 16:11). And finally, be still and know that God is who he says He is (Psalm 46:10).
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
