“They came and woke Him (Jesus) up, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to die!” Then He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. So they (the waves) ceased, and there was calm. He said to them (the disciples), “Where is your faith?” Luke 8:24-25
The men were scared. All they could see were the waves crashing over the sides of the boat and the rocks they were headed for. Can you feel their fear as they cried out to Jesus to save them? Have you ever wanted to scream, “Master! Master! We’re going to die!”
Out of quiet slumber Jesus rose, told the winds to behave, then asked the men, “Where is your faith?”
Why did Jesus come to earth and live for thirty plus years?
I know, some of you are saying, “Duh, Sheila, Jesus came to die on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins.” And I know this remains the end purpose and I am so grateful that God provided salvation for us through Jesus. But when I read the gospels, I see more than the sacrifice of Jesus.
I see crowds of people pulsating around Jesus to heal them, their families, and their friends. And I see miracles, like turning water into wine and walking on water to rescue the disciples. But, why?
And then it came to me, Jesus had to live on earth because we have limited vision. We can only see what we can see. Sickness, hunger, homelessness, these are what we see, and feel. The physical life we have is how we move forward, either through grief and pain, or through thankfulness that we aren’t experiencing grief and pain.
And the physical is where our faith is founded; proven, you might say. When God heals your husband of cancer or cancels the debt from a huge hospital stay, aren’t these what we tell others about when we want to show God’s love? Or when you pray before a big exam that you would pass then you make 100%, isn’t the result what you share with your peers? That’s what the people who were fed with the five loaves and the two fishes did. They followed Jesus to Capernaum not because they wanted to see Jesus, but because they were once again hungry. When they asked what sign Jesus would do for them to believe that He was the Messiah, they reminded him of Moses and the manna as their people wandered in the wilderness. They remembered the physical.
This gave Jesus the opening to point them to God the Father as the supplier of the manna, not Moses. That is why Jesus came and walked on the earth, not to perform, but to point to the Performer, God. Moses followed God’s directions in bringing the Israelites out of Egypt, but the people could not even look on God’s face to confirm that God orchestrated every miracle. Jesus came in the form of a man and performed miracles not to bring comfort to the people through meeting physical needs, but so that when they questioned Him, He was able to tell them that no man on earth can give them what they need, only God could do that. “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
Hebrews 11:1 HCSB tells us, “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.” The English Standard Version says it this way, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Emphasis mine)
Where is your faith? Jesus came to do the will of the Father. Jesus still does miracles even though we can’t see Him physically. I am assured that God will provide all that I need whether health, home, finances, or anything else that aids my physical life on earth. But my faith cannot be in what I see. I must know that if my prayers are not answered in just the way I anticipate, God is still over my life. I must be convicted of the fact that there is provision taking place in the heavenlies where I can’t see, and I must trust that God is giving me what I need according to what He knows is right.
Where is my faith?
My faith is the reality of what I hoped for, combined with the proof of what is not seen.
My faith is in God’s sovereignty.
HeartNotes of Life 