Peace! Be Still!

Last Sunday's Gospel (Mark 4:35-41 (5:1-20)) is the story of Jesus calming the storm. I thought it was very apt given the storm we are comming through in the ECUSA.

We know the story. Jesus tells the disciples to go across the sea to the other side. He is tired and sleeps in the stern of the boat. A great storm comes up so that waves are coming in over the sides of the boats and they are about to be swamped. The disciples wake Jesus up with "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" Jesus rebukes the wind and waves with "Peace! Be still!" and the wind ceases and the water is calm as glass. He rebukes the disciples with "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?"

In my experience with "storms" in my life, I notice two reactions from Jesus. At times, He has rebuked the storm with "Peace! Be still!" and things calm down around me. Other times, Jesus has held me in his arms and whispered to me "peace. be still." When I headed his voice, the storm still raged, but I was protected and knew that I was save in Jesus' arms. When I didn't heed Jesus' words, I found myself yelling at him: "Do you not care that we are perishing!" and Jesus again says "Peace. Be still."

In the ECUSA's present storm that derives from colliding fronts, there is great wind and the waves seem to beat on us. Many are afraid and worried that our ship will sink. We've asked Jesus to rebuke the wind and the waves, but we are causing them. It is time to let Jesus hold us in His arms and listen to Him as He whispers "peace. be still."

In the comming days and weeks and months and, probably, years as the storm that is the ECUSA moves and plays out, let us renew our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us let him hold us and we hold him. Listen to him in our hearts: "Peace. Be still." knowing that we are his children and that storms will rage about us. Ships will flounder, but we will always be in Jesus' arms.

YBIC,
Phil Snyder