Out of Control . . . 2

The most terrifying thing for a sailor or fisherman is to be lost at sea, or being at the mercy of a violent storm. This is what happened to some of Jesus’ friends, recorded in Mark chapter 4 in the New Testament. It doesn’t get more out of control than that. In this account there are several boats that have gone to sea in good sailing conditions, only to find that the weather turns nasty. Try and put yourself in their position, not knowing the end of the story. The people in these boats have an idea that Jesus is someone a bit different to them, but they haven’t seen him in this environment before. To put it briefly, these are experienced fishermen who have sailed these waters their whole lives, and now they are terrified of drowning.
Most of us have had thoughts about drowning. When I was a kid I used to say that if it happened to me I would hold my breath and die on my own terms rather than drown. But then I’d think, what if I get out of this? I’d want to be conscious, wouldn’t I? Strange thoughts I know, but it does highlight the whole ‘wanting to be in control’ thing. Many of us are born with our fists clenched, apparently, and it seems that we are born determined to take control right from the start of our lives. Just like the Westlife song goes, “I want to live”.
The most interesting thing about this whole event is that Jesus sleeps thru the whole thing. He’s the one who suggested they sail to the other side of the lake in the first place! Question: Why do we so quickly panic when things appear to be out of control? If Jesus has promised to never leave us why do we spin out, thinking that life is going to drown us?
Think about your own children. We raise them to eventually stand on their own two feet and not depend on us in every situation, don’t we? So how will a kid learn to swim without knowing the feeling of being out of control in an uncertain environment? They can’t, of course. You can’t leave someone in the classroom to learn to swim! Eventually you have to get in the water and face the fear of drowning.
Again let me ask the question: If Jesus has promised to never leave us why do we panic when situations terrify us? I’m going to suggest that the answer is simple: We don’t trust him. Either we don’t trust him that he’ll never leave us, or we don’t trust that he can look after us. Either way it’s a test of our faith in his promise – I think it’s that simple.
If this describes you then I think that it’s important to stop for a moment and consider this. You can’t simply go on from here and keep living the way you do because life will continue to dish up uncertainties and storms. It was Jesus who said, "The truth will set you free". So tell the truth. Ask yourself: Jesus, do I really trust you? Have I learned to live without you? Is my life full of 'things' that I can control to the point where I really don’t need you at all?
These are confronting questions I know. But they are at the very core of your Christianity. If I lost my health, my freedom, my friends, my Bible, my job; would I spin out and lose my faith completely? Or would I be able to take a quick look around, and although Jesus may appear to be asleep somewhere, know that he is with me, and that he will never me?

Talk soon. . . dmd