What Do We Do Now?

August 12, 2011
Post 211 (temporarily posted)
Continued
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I am in a very real and personal way beginning to understand the conflict of the disciples in the very tangible storm that was sure to sink them as Jesus lay sleeping in the back of the boat (Matthew 8:23-27, Luke 8:22-25).
They look at the horrific storm, then at Jesus sleeping, then at each other and had to wonder; "What is going on here? Are we supposed to fight this one out as the seamen we are? No, clearly that is impossible, this storm is just too big even for us" “And they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy” Luke 8:23.
"Are we supposed to just shrug, going down with the ship in the attitude of C'est La Vie?" No, that is hopeless surrender.
"Are we supposed to wake the Lord as if he really doesn't know what is going on?"

At the time, they simply ran out of options and picked the one that that seemed less wrong; they woke the LORD.
And what was Jesus' reply? "...Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm." Matthew 8:26, “…Where is your faith?...” Luke 8:25.
What was the cause of such a reply? The circumstances clearly warranted such a logical reaction from them of all people; men of the sea who know the difference between a good blow and a deadly storm, and they did the right thing by turning to the Lord for help. So why rebuke them?
The focus of the rebuke was on their faith. They were actually with the Creator of the universe, the Son of God. The condition they found themselves collectively in was really no different than Peter walking on the water to the Lord (Matthew 14:29). Everything has a different scope when the perspective is focused on the Maker than it does when our personal circumstances come clearly before our eye of focus. If they really comprehended who was in the boat with them they would have been excited to experience the boat sink to the bottom with them all just to see what Jesus would do in giving them life on the sea floor! This is God were talking about who was their personal companion in that moment! If he wanted them all to die in the sea that night taking them with him to paradise should that have bothered them? But here in the flesh our eyes are stuck to our personal comforts and appearance of safety and what our eyes see gives the motive of our response.
This is why Jesus replied as he did, their focus and comprehension was not yet where he wanted it to be, and so he arose and calmed the sea and their comprehension was expanded by his rebuke.
So what if they had the next level of faith using my marksmanship analogy? What if they did not wake the Lord at that time?
I'm betting things would have gotten worse. Its quite possible the ship would have sunk from under them and they found themselves bobbing around in the great storm until they then cried out to him in panic, at which time Jesus would have still responded the same. Why? Because the purpose of the event was to grow their faith beyond wherever it was presently. Remember, no matter what level our skill, the degree of difficulty remains the same because the parameters of acceptable grow smaller at each level.
How do I know? because later when their faith was much greater so was the circumstance in which they found themselves.
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Jesus, the long awaited, prophesied Messiah, the Savior of the Jews, their personal master and flight instructor.... was killed. Not in some metaphorical way, the man was brutally killed in suffering and was DEAD.

NOW what do they do?
What were they supposed to do?
Everything they thought they had been learning from him suddenly made no sense at all, and he was no longer around to ask for an explanation. Its as if in the middle of flight lessons the instructor just suddenly jumps from the plane with no parachute!
What do you do now?
Suddenly all the wisdom from this man you thought was quite wise, comes into question as he just bailed out. What kind of a fool did you have instructing you?
At this point all the good theory and learning in concept suddenly must be fit into a whole new realm of reality through a new reason to seriously investigate its worthiness. This is like starting over entirely in all that you thought you knew so well as you now take control of the plane for the first time even though you had long been flying it with the instructor sitting next to you. First Solo is virtually nothing new but everything seems new by reason of responsibility.
These great doubts of the disciples were hard not to see as validated by the logic of those standing around at his crucifixion;
"He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God." Matthew 27:43
and as the disciples watched they had to be wondering too. Their gauges had been blackend out and they were now suddenly flying by the seat of their pants, captain of their own choices.
What were they supposed to do?
This is really no different that the event in the sea, which was really no different that the servants given talents before the master departed; only the degree of difficulty had increased to challenge their level of increased faith.
The scriptures tell us what the disciples did as recorded in Luke 24:11-14,19-24, and John 21:2-3. None of these things were actions of sound faith but neither were they faithless, they simply went about what is done naturally while they contemplated how to apply it all to the reality they knew.
So lets not continue to lean on them for their confusion, we have the record of events that played out. We know how it all worked out. Now we must apply what we know to our own level of testing, in our own circumstances of very real challenge.
And so I find myself in my personal challenge apprehensive to share it now before its all completed because until the end the logic of my conduct is all just speculation seen by some as foolish and other as ignorant and me as faith. The world is melting down around me and I don’t at all like the obvious outcome. But knowing what I know of the gospel story and seeing my own miraculous provision in the work I have been called to, can I now panic in thinking Jesus is asleep and unknowing of my circumstance? Have I cried out to him for help? You bet I have though not yet in panic, and he has remained silent. Am I concerned? Of course I am, I would rather avoid capsize if possible but at this point avoidance is not possible without His aid. But If the Lord wills that my ship sink from under me it is because he has something else in mind for me that the ship cannot do. I am declaring my faith is practical and I am putting to action what my words of philosophy declare is true.

As I now find myself at the controls with the gauges blackend and the instructor sleeping I see a great mountainous box-canyon I am already flying into. There is no way to gain altitude over it and no room to turn around in it. This is looking bad. But is this not God himself who intentionally placed me in this situation before leaving me to myself? My gut reaction is to find the nearest grass patch and put her down, but that is not the scenario given to me so I maintain my present heading and wear myself out looking for the option I am supposed to see all the wile knowing things are quickly getting worse. How long do you go before your faith fails you and you cry “Uncle” in disbelief? Time will tell, and I don’t like this one bit…. But I’m in because I am in the hand of the LORD. I actually now want what he wants for me even though I don't think I like the flavor of whats coming. This is trust.
“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22

Don’t imagine this verse says he wont let you suffer. Hardly. In fact it seems that most of the righteous are allotted to suffer. It is the sustenance it is the stable position in Him that he promises to maintain. Often it is suffering itself that solidifies the position. But I have blathered on too long as it is. Only at the other side of this will my words be more than theory. I simply wanted you to know a bit of the circumstances that have delayed my blogging while I sort this out.
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