2-8-2017

Good Morning All,

        Matthew 8:25; “And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 

    In 2000 there was a movie that starred George Clooney called “The Perfect Storm”.  It was based on a true story about a sword fishing captain named Billy Tyne who convinces his crew to go out one last time to catch fish.  They go out farther than usual and end up being caught in a storm that was the confluence of two weather patterns and a hurricane; thus it was the perfect storm.  All the crew was lost at sea.

    We here in South Dakota know storms.  We can get between 12 and 16 inches of snow plus the wind to boot.  It isn’t the “perfect storm”; it is just a Dakota blizzard; some inconvenience but not much else.  Now if a really big storm did hit; that might be different.  What would it take for a Dakota blizzard to be a perfect storm?  Do we need more snow or more wind?  Does it have to last longer than a couple of days?  It would take a lot for us to see a blizzard as a perfect storm; one of tremendous power and very destructive.

    The disciples were to the Sea of Galilee like we are to the Dakota plains.  It took a lot to shake them.  They were experienced fishermen who had fished the Sea of Galilee their whole life.  They were aware of its penchant to be unpredictable.  The winds can shift and a storm is upon you immediately.  So how great was this storm which hit their boat while they were crossing the Sea of Galilee?  These experienced fishermen woke Jesus because they were in sheer terror.  They thought they were going to die and they were terrified.

    One can wonder why the disciples woke Jesus.  They may have thought he should be awake when the boat sank.  Perhaps they had seen enough miracles and hoped that he had another one.  Jesus had shown his power and they wanted to tap into it.  This is the most likely answer.  There is a very small chance that they knew Jesus to be God but that is kind of unlikely here.  As far as they were concerned, Jesus was the “Get out of Jail Free Card” in the storm of Galilee.  He could save them.  But he had to be awake.  So they woke him saying “Save us Lord; we are perishing.”

    When we feel those times when it feels like our boat is about to sink, we too need to call upon Jesus, “Lord save us; we are perishing;” for we are.  Every turn for us is a cause for us to perish.  We too, should call upon Jesus not because of the powerful deeds but because of the love which he has for us.  It is his love which moves him to save us.  It is his grace which saves not his power.  It is by his grace that we are invited into the lap of the loving Father.  We too, should call out “Lord save us” because he has promised to continue to do just that; save us.

Dear Father, we are lost without you.  We cry out “Lord save us” and you do.  Give us courage to face our storms knowing that you are always there to protect us.  Give your courage to those who are facing storms right now.  Guard them from the evil foe.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen. 

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret