Letters to my grieving friend

Letter 2: Life Gear

My dearest friend,

You have been in my daily prayer, more so on the weekends. The heavy rain and storm over the last few days made me wonder how the disciples must have felt when they found Jesus sleeping on the boat in the middle of the storm (Mark 4:35-41). As I watched the high boisterous waves crash over our shores, I could imagine the fear and crippling anxiety that the disciples must have felt.

I could picture being tossed around in that little fisherman’s boat without any form of life-saving gear around me to protect me, but then I realised that they did have a lifesaving Saviour on that little boat with them. Where was He?

The disciples witnessed Jesus heal the sick, surely He could have calmed this storm and ended their misery. But where was He and what was He doing?

As they looked for Jesus, they found Him sleeping, and the funny part of this story is that they found him sleeping on a pillow. Can you imagine their fury? Here they were being tossed about with the waves beating against them and the Master was sound asleep on a pillow!  How could He be sleeping in the middle of all this, does He not care? He looks pretty comfortable on His pillow, all snug at the back of the boat while we are fighting for our lives. Does He not love us?  Can He please show some kind of concern?  Our lives are about to end. These could have been some of the disciples screaming thoughts.

Where is Jesus in all this grief?

Jesus gets up and He very simply says, “Peace, be still” and the wind and the storm obeyed His voice and subsided. My dear friend, I know that you feel God has grown quiet on you as if He has not heard your cries out to Him of grief and sorrow. You feel like He has fallen asleep on you while your heart is crying out, “God save me, hear me, show me that you care.” Although this story of Jesus calming the storm is a story of faith, there is something far beyond just having faith that is outlined in this story. 

Why was Jesus asleep? Why was He not awake watching the reaction of the disciples from afar? He was so restful, anxious-free, and asleep. Could it perhaps be that the Creator of the universe was in no doubt that all will be well? After all, He walks on water. He was at ease and confident enough to fall asleep, even on a pillow, amidst a boisterous storm.

Did the disciples really think that the boat would topple over with Jesus in it? Did they really believe that this could be the death of them all? Could Jesus die by drowning?! No way, I say.

My point is that Jesus was in the boat with them and that was all that mattered. That is what makes the difference. His presence in the boat changes the outcome of the storm. He only woke up because the disciples woke Him up. Had He continued sleeping, nothing much would have changed. The wind and waves would have continued to do their thing and Jesus would have continued to sleep. He only stopped the storm because the disciples were afraid and they had no faith in knowing that their life-saving gear was Jesus. He was with them, therefore no storm could overthrow them.

His presence radiates around you, hindering the storm from taking full control over you. Yes, the winds are howling and the waves are beating at you, but His presence is still with you. He is still in the boat! Even though you may not feel His presence right now, He is still there. That is all that matters. Whether we are in calm waters or stormy seas, He is still in that boat with you! And as long as He is in our lives, I know that we are safe. He is our life-saving gear.

Psalm 139 7:12, reminds us of this: “ ‘Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.’ If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me, even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.’ ”

Tonight, I pray that you will feel Jesus near you. Psalms 34:18 says, “The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

May you rest your head on your pillow and sleep with confidence knowing that Jesus is with you and that His presence is your life-gear against this storm that beats against your heart. 

Your friend forever,

Charmaine

Letter 1: Keeping House

Letter 3: From His footstool to His throne