Has the world ever experienced such chaos as now? I would
think so. Maybe because there are more humans living today, and the immediate
availability of news from around the world, chaos appears more pronounced. But,
chaos is not to be characterized by size of population, as much as its effect
on the people who experience it. I think the chaos in which we live threatens
our life-styles, our security, and expectation of the future. Waves of asylum
seekers inundate immigration systems, shatter laws and regulations, and bog
systems down. Legal processes are circumvented, and governments seem helpless
to deal with the growing number of people crossing borders coming into their
countries illegally. In some countries terrorists have infiltrated under the
guise of being refugees. In a country in which employment opportunities are
scarce, people view the influx of immigrants as threatening to their
livelihood. Government leaders smile for cameras, in a display of magnanimity
to refugees, while ordinary people are having a hard time feeding their
families. Refugees are given more than needy citizens.
Assad’s war
against his own people has reduced most of Syria to rubble. The Saudis and Iran
fight each other in Yemen, leaving that population destitute and
diseased. The Islamic State takes barbarism to a level not seen in the modern
world. Governments in the west
seem to be bent on destroying their countries’ economies, and putting their
people out of work for the political correctness of “saving the planet”. The Rohingya have for a long time suffered
the terrorism of the Myanmar army. The present South African government is more
oppressive and corrupt than the hated apartheid governments of the past.
Terrorism is “the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially
against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.”
It is
revealing that the definition of “terrorism” in its simplicity might be applied
to many governments, not only those in Africa and the Philippines. If judged by
disruption, anxiety, and fear, the government of the US is as guilty as any
African dictatorship of terrorism. The inability of US law makers to control their
president is tantamount to supporting terrorism. Considering that the foregoing
is a small part of what people hear about, and see on television every day, the
prospect of calm in a time of chaos, seems virtually impossible. I can guaranty
that no clichés will afford anyone the calm we all long for.
One thing
that causes uneasiness is change. Governments change, policies change, tax
rules change, add to that climate change and you’ve got a crazy world. We can
leave climate change to the fanatics, because it’s the myriad of little changes
that cause us the greatest concern. The ten minute change in school start time,
seasonal time change in spring and fall, and the fear changes that erode our
lifestyle. Change is difficult to adapt to, but adapt we must, or we’ll end up
with the fanatics trying to prevent climate change, or some other senseless
cause. Back in the olden days of 1998 an author asked the question, “In a sea
of change, how can we create stability? I believe there are three main sources
of security today. They are: Our ability to learn continually. Our ability to
change. Our ability to cope with uncertainty. Paradoxically, these are what we
fear the most as adults.”[1]
When he got
into the boat, his
disciples followed him.
And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being
covered with the waves; but Jesus himself was asleep. And they came to him and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are
perishing!" He said
to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and
the sea, and it became perfectly calm. The men were amazed, and said,
"What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey
Him?"[2]
In connection with this passage it is important to try
understand the meaning of faith from a Jewish stand point.
In the OT to believe in God is to acknowledge Him as such. This
includes trust, and hope, fear and obedience. But these are a unity, since trust is
taken radically and thus includes the overcoming of both anxiety and
self-confidence. Faith is a daring decision for God in man's turning aside both
from the menacing world and also from his own strength. As is sometimes stressed, it is
thus faith in spite of appearances. 'As a confident decision for God it
contains within itself suppressed temptation. This faith in God is not just general trust.
It is grounded in what God has done in the past. Hence it has its own firm
relation to the past.[3]
This exposition
of faith to Jews in Old Testament times broadens the understanding of why Jesus
criticized the disciples for having “little faith”. The disciples had been with
Jesus only a short time, but Jesus expected that they should have faith beyond
what they demonstrated. “This faith in God is not just general trust. It is grounded in what God
has done in the past… ” God’s chosen people
should have faith in his ability to save. “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” I don’t think the sailors
expected Jesus to bale water, or row harder, there was something else in their
impassioned plea. If they believed they were accompanied by the Son of God,
they might have realized there was no need to wake him.
Like many biblical characteristics faith has been
institutionalized, if not trivialized. “All you have to do is believe (have
faith) and pray beside your radio. Or, a confession, “I believe that Jesus is the
Son of God” –that’s all it takes. Consider what James wrote, “You believe that God is one. You
do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.”[4] James approached faith from a Jewish
point of view, this is suggested by his use of the primary confession in the
Shema, “Hear, O Israel! The
LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”[5] Faith
in the context of first century Judaism, included “trust, and hope, fear and obedience.” Faith
also included, “overcoming
of both anxiety and self-confidence“. “Faith is a daring decision for God in man's
turning aside both from the menacing world and also from his own strength.”
“Daughter,
take courage; your faith has made you well.”[6] “It shall be done to you according
to your faith.”[7] “O woman, your faith is great; it
shall be done for you as you wish.”[8] “Your faith has saved you; go in
peace.”[9]
Jesus complimented each of these people. For each had through action revealed
their faith. Each in his or her own way overcame both anxiety and
self-confidence. Each of them looked away from the world and toward God. The
attitude of those whose faith the Lord commended was one of total submission to
God. Looking back to the details of Jesus and his disciples in the boat; the
storm was severe and a number of the disciples being fishermen knew the danger
that situation. In Luke’s account Jesus asked the disciples where their faith
was. In both Luke’s and Mark’s account the question regarding faith was after
Jesus stopped the storm. Mark records that Jesus asked them why they were
afraid, and Luke states they were fearful. In all accounts the disciples are
left wondering who Jesus was that nature obeyed him,
If we imagine that we are in that boat with a storm raging
around us, what would we be thinking? We would likely be watching every wave
wondering if it would be the one to swamp the boat. We’d be aware of the roar
of the wind, we’d feel the chilling cold spray hitting our faces. We would be
in a state of extreme anxiety with numerous thoughts rushing through our minds.
Like the disciples, we would be in fear of losing our lives. Unless we were
paralyzed by fear, we might be thinking of what we could do to manage the
situation. Some people would set about trying to take action to avoid disaster,
no matter how futile their efforts. We are not in that boat, however, in
everyday life we face a barrage of issues which cause anxiety in most, or the
need to fix the issue with others, or in some unfortunate people, both.
…in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said,
"It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus
spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."
Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the
water." And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and
walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became
frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him,
"You of little faith, why did you doubt?"[10]
When Peter’s focus was on Jesus he walked on water, but
distracted by the realities of the world he sank. The dictionary’s description
of faith includes, “man's
turning aside both from the menacing world and also from his own strength.”
Peter was able to walk on water until he was influenced by the danger that
surrounded him. I give him full marks for trying, but Jesus said him, “You of little faith, why did you
doubt?” Being a fisherman he knew that it was impossible to walk on
water. That impetuous characteristic that led him to take those initial steps
defying nature would no doubt remain as credit to his faith as long as he
lived. But more so, sinking into the black abys, would guard his mind and heart
going forward. Jesus’ question to Peter wasn’t simply rhetorical, Peter was
forced to concede that mature faith isn’t influenced by threats of the world,
nor does faith require personal strength. Mature faith gives up trying to
control everything around us, so that neither threat nor personal ability is
important. Faith is demonstrated in total submission to God.
In the book of Judges Gideon was selected to deliver Israel.
One might feel that Gideon was conflicted, he sought proof from God that he
would be accompanied into battle. God indulged Gideon, and when ready a large
army of Israel went out to meet the foe. On the frontline God spoke to Gideon,
“The LORD said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are
too many for me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become
boastful, saying, 'My own power has delivered me.'””[11]
Gideon got a lesson on faith that day; his need assessment said 32,000 men were
required to gain victory. From a human standpoint he was right, but faith is
trust in God, not in your own strength. Gideon went into battle with less than
one percent of the soldiers he started with. Mature faith is handing everything
over to God, “Therefore
humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the
proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”[12] Calm in a time of chaos can only exist
when we submit to God through faith. We have to give up our frenzied attempts
to right wrongs, or correct the misguided, or to sort out the world’s issues
–or even our own. If you want to walk on water you mustn’t look at the wind.
