Trust me

Matthew 8:24-26 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

24 A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm.

We’ve all heard someone say, “I slept like a baby,” or “I slept like a rock.”  There are those who brag about being able to sleep through anything, and others who wake up if an ant sneezes in the other room.  (OK, I don’t know whether or not ants sneeze, but I think you know what I mean.)  Some of us can’t sleep in strange places, others can fall asleep at the drop of a hat, even standing up.  

In this story the disciples are terrified in the storm and don’t understand how he can sleep through it. “Wake up!  Save us! We’re all going to die!”   And Jesus just sort of shakes his head, probably heaves a big sigh, says “Really, guys?  You woke me for this?”,  waves his hand, and the sky and sea are as calm as calm could be.  He may or may not have gone back to sleep for the rest of the trip across to the other side, but I do know he needed the rest.  He had been healing the sick and choosing disciples.  He was going to be casting out demons when he got where they were going.  All of these things take energy, and naps are good. 

Sometimes it does feel like he is sleeping when we most need him. Something happens that we think is a big deal, we cry out for help, and - nothing.  And we’re here saying, “Lord, how can you sleep through this?  Don’t you know I need you right this moment?” Jesus says, “Oh you of little faith.  Why are you afraid?  It’s almost like you don’t trust me to take care of you.”    

I am sure the disciples did all the things people are familiar with boats know how to do when a storm comes up, but when they had done all of those things, they turned to Jesus for help.  When they didn’t know what else to do, when the storm got too big for them to handle themselves, they called upon Jesus.  They didn’t know him yet as well as they would by the end of their journey together.  So they were fearful and worried. Perhaps the thought occurred to them that maybe he couldn’t help.  They didn’t quite trust that he would wake when the time was right for him to step in, and so they woke him with their cries.

We do that, sometimes.  We do everything in our power to solve our issues, whatever they might be, and when we have done all those things we leave the result to Jesus.  Maybe we think he’s asleep, or not paying attention. Maybe we think he doesn’t know what the result “should” be.  So we worry and are fearful, and take back our resolve to leave the solution to him.  “Oh, you of little faith. You have done your part, now leave the rest to me.  You don’t get to determine the outcome. Don’t you know I will make sure you have what you need, when the time is right?  I will not let the storm carry you away, if you just trust me.” 

Lord of solutions, grant us to trust that you will wake and do whatever is needful to help us through a situation when we cry out to you for help.   Amen.