“Do you not care?”
They yelled these four words as the rain pelted their faces and the wind howled in their ears. They were stuck on a boat in the middle of the sea, in the biggest storm of their lives. These were seasoned fishermen who were used to storms—but not like this. As hurricane-like waves tossed them around precariously, a man slept peacefully at the back of the boat. How could he sleep through this storm? the friends wondered. Who is this man? He woke at the sound of his friends questioning him. And with three simple words, the wind ceased and the waves calmed: “Peace! Be still!” This story is found in Mark 4:35-41, between a section of scripture that showcases Jesus’ teaching ability and his power and authority over demons and death. The disciples find themselves on a boat with Jesus, crossing the Sea of Galilee. A storm stirs up, and the men are pummeled with wind and rain. In the midst of the storm, they cry out to God: “Teacher! Do you not you care that we are perishing!?” How often I have uttered some variation of those words to God: “Do you not care?” Sometimes in anger, other times in fear. Maybe it’s a sick family member, or a friend’s betrayal, or an unfair situation at work. Each time, these experiences leave me questioning God: “Can’t you see me?” “Won’t you help me?" “Do you not care?” These four word questions unearth a major problem: Doubt. Rather than trusting in the power and authority of God, which we clearly see displayed through Jesus calming the storm, I trust in my own feelings and fears. What exactly do I doubt? And how can I combat it? Doubting God’s Character After he calms the storm, Jesus questions the disciples: “Have you still no faith?” The disciples have been with Jesus for days, weeks—maybe months—and yet they do not see him for who he is. In Mark 4:35-41, we see an important aspect of Jesus’ character displayed in a mighty way: His divinity. Jesus is fully man—and also fully God. Like the Lord parting the Red Sea for the Israelites in Exodus 14, we see Jesus commanding creation. Jesus has power and authority to calm the storm,the literal storms in our lives, and the storms inside of us. This passage in Mark 4 kicks off a sequence of stories that continue in Mark 5 that show Jesus’ divinity: He casts out demons, heals physical ailments, even brings someone back from the dead. He has power and authority over creation, including us, as his people. Along with his authority, God’s sovereignty is a key characteristic to believe in when we are faced with fear and doubt. God’s timing is perfect. His plan is perfect. His ways are higher than our ways. He longs to give good things to his children. He has plans for us—for a hope and a future. It was Jesus’ idea to cross the sea. He knew the wind and the waves would come. And he takes the disciples out on the water anyway. He takes them straight through the storm. It can be so tempting to doubt who God is when we face hard circumstances. But we must remember that our reality does not change God’s character. We cannot let our circumstances cloud our vision of who God is. We must believe deep down that Jesus is the authority in our lives: NOT our fear and not our feelings. Doubting God’s Promises We worship a God who promises to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:15). He will never leave us alone in our suffering. He will never abandon us in our hardest times. He will never forsake us no matter how poorly we act. When we lie, cheat, steal, all things that dishonor him. When we dishonor his name, he still calls us his children (John 1:12). Those four simple words: “Do you not care?” are heavy with doubt. I was faced with a different set of four weighty words last summer. An ER doctor reviewed my cat scan, diagnosing me with painful kidney stones. Then, he said those four words: “We found something else.” Little did I know, I had a grapefruit-sized tumor growing in my abdomen that would need to be removed. I had no idea it was there. No symptoms, no pain. Throughout the process of doctor appointments, pre-op tests, and post-op recovery, I returned often to the promise that God would never leave me. Most days I don’t mind being single—however during this season of life, I was very tempted to feel all alone. But I knew I needed to trust in God’s character—in his power and his sovereignty. The God who was with me in my hospital room is the same God who parted the Red Sea and calmed the storm. God created the seas and has authority over them – but he also created you and me. He has authority over us. He holds all things together in his hands. There is nothing too big or too small for Him.
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Amy WellnerEncouraging others to intentionally live out their God-given identity. Archives
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