“Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?”
(Mk 4:40, The Message)
One fine evening by the Sea of Galilee Jesus said, “Let’s go over to the other side” (Mk. 4:35). That would not have seemed like the brightest suggestion. It is foolhardy to sail a tiny vessel, in the dark, on a sea known for sudden, violent storms. When one’s view of the people on the other side is that they are more dangerous and unpredictable than even the worst storms, the idea is even less attractive[1]. When the disciples readied the boat they were quite likely muttering about how much more pleasant it would be to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation over a few “sun downers”. The storm that threatened to sink them on the way over paralleled the turbulent struggle in their own hearts. In fact neither the wind nor the waves endangered God’s mission. The danger to God’s mission was the disciples cowardice; their reluctance to follow Jesus. They needed to experience true fear, the fear of God. And that’s exactly what Jesus gave them. After Jesus stilled the storm the disciples “feared a great fear”[2] asking “Who is this” (Mk 4. 41). Cowardice still threatens the Church’s mission today. We are prone to fearing our own discomfort or loss more than we fear God. I pray that today we would fear a great fear, be jolted awake, and be “forced to go over to the other side”. And my Fathers’ Day challenge to us Fathers is this: “Are we setting an example of awestruck obedience to God or fearfully securing our comfort?”. It would be very sad to be a cowardly dad.
God Bless, Sean
[1] The other side was Gentile territory. [2] The NIV’s “terrified” translates three Greek words “feared, great, fear”