Last year in Bible study, we covered a similar miracle account in the gospel of Luke, the one where Jesus is with the disciples on the boat but sleeps through the storm until awakened by the terrified disciples and then calms the storm. My co-facilitator explained the miracle as how being with Jesus made it seem as if the storm had ceased (he is a scientist by profession). I was a trifle incensed at the suggestion that Jesus had not actually stopped the storm. However, I don't know when, if ever, I would have drawn the conclusion that Jesus can bring us peace in the midst of turmoil if we trust in him. I suppose that is the limitation of being too literal.
This is a different miracle, or a different account of the same miracle, who knows?
But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."
The Israelites are told repeatedly in the Pentateuch not to be afraid to go in and take the Promised Land from its current inhabitants. Several verses in the book of Joshua are so beautiful to me. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged for the Lord you God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9. Jesus walks on the water to reach them in their boat, he comes to them in their distress.
Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.
I don't know much about this verse, but it certainly sounds as if the disciples' desire to take Jesus with them caused them to immediately reach their destination. That says to me that we'll get where we're going if we have similar hearts.
5 comments:
Marjorie, you said,
"I was a trifle incensed at the suggestion that Jesus had not actually stopped the storm. However, I don't know when, if ever, I would have drawn the conclusion that Jesus can bring us peace in the midst of turmoil if we trust in him. I suppose that is the limitation of being too literal."
Well you have put your finger on the problem: preoccupation with the literal has closed off many, many laymen and ministers from any imagination for other ways to perceive scripture.
But it's not an either/or at all, it's a both/and.
We no doubt get much from looking at it literally, and we also get much through looking at it in many other ways.
Your assessment that "we'll get where we're going if we have similar hearts" made me wonder - where are you/we going?
I'm being playful with you, poking a little. I'm kind of thinking we're already here.
Terry, I look forward to visiting your blog after Lent -- despite my presence here, I've given up blogging for Lent.
Meredith -- poke away! Where we are going -- I almost put it in my post but decided not to be so wordy (too late). Where we're going is where Jesus wants us to go, not necessarily where we want to go or where we'd choose.
I do feel as if I'm going somewhere, if I were to stop where I am now, I'd feel as if I'm not progressing on my path. I need to develop more patience, more compassion, more love, less self.
I sense that your point is about being in the moment and I can appreciate that and be satisfied with it, but I know that there are aspects of myself that can be tamed or perfected or refined.
Ever calling me back to the stillness, huh, Meredith? Thank you. The only thing I consciously fear about the stillness is that, for me, it might pervert into smugness and complacency. My problem is not that I don't love myself enough, its that I worry that I love myself too much and I see evidence of that all around me (mainly in my lack of patience).
Well you girls are both right. We're living in the eternal and in the moment. I think Lewis in Great Divorce pointed out that those who got to the good place realized that was where they had always been, and likewise for the others. In his fantasy!
Laboring souls like Marjorie and me have a long road to travel to reach our destination, but eternally speaking we're already there. PTL.
We're living in the eternal and in the moment. And we live in the eternal moment and the not-yet.
The kingdom is upon you, turn from your sins and be saved. And also and at the same time the evil one has his claws in us.
Post a Comment