In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
A number of years ago, Mikki and I were enjoying a holiday in Mexico, we had lots of plans, for the things we were going to do while we were there, we had hired a car, and we were going to go and see some of the Mayan temples and historical sights, and take in some of the masses of culture there, the first few days of the holiday were great we enjoyed some of the sights, got to hold a crocodile! And enjoy a restful break, and recharge our batteries.
What we didn’t know was that there was a storm on the horizon! A tropical storm was forming just a little further down the Gulf of Mexico, but we were told by our travel reps that all we could expect was a few rain showers, well living in England, that’s par for the course!
But only 24 hours later the US national hurricane centre had re-categorised it from a tropical storm to a level 4 hurricane, just one level below the highest intensity.
There were murmurings and rumours going around the resort, that we were just about to be evacuated, but no one could really tell us what was going on, and it was another few hours, before we learnt the real extent of what was happening. Hurricane Wilma as it was to be named, had continued to grow, and was now listed as the most powerful hurricane in recorded history!
Over the next 60 hours, we were evacuated to a bigger hurricane proof complex, and literally rode out the storm with no light, no running water, very little food, the sound of windows smashing around us and torrential rain pouring down constantly. It wasn’t until it had passed that we understood the extent of the devastation that had been left in its wake.
The east coast of Mexico had been totally devastated, and they evacuated all non-residents out of Mexico, so that they could begin the long task of rebuilding their homes, their towns and villages, and most importantly their lives.
It is an experience which I hope I never have the misfortune of being part of again, and as well as feeling totally useless, as there was nothing we could do to prevent what was happening, there were times when I really wondered if we were going to get out of there alive!
So when we hear in our Gospel ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ well in my own way, I have a sense of what they were feeling.
They were stuck on a boat in the middle of the lake, and taking on water, and in danger of sinking, some of them were seasoned fishermen, and so we know that this is no ordinary storm, because if it was, then they would have dealt with it themselves, there was only one thing they could do, and that was to wake up Jesus.
Immediately he rebuked the wind and the raging sea, and all was well once again.
But as I thought about this reading the question which pre-occupied me was why did Jesus say ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’
This story deals with the principle question of our faith, where do we place our hope, who do we trust above all others, and how do we demonstrate that trust within our lives.
We all know that when life is easy and everything is fine, then it doesn't take much effort to have faith in God, we can almost take it for granted. But when trouble strikes our lives, how far do we go to try and resolve our problems ourselves before turning to God to help us?
We all experience storms in our lives some like the hurricane in Mexico where there is a real and present danger, but there are those storms which we encounter in our personal lives, be it a tragedy, bad news or a situation which is just too big for us to cope with on our own.
Is our first reaction to panic and to try and resolve the problem for ourselves, or do we turn to God and ask him to help us, to give us the strength and the courage that we need to face the situation?
We all need to remember that it’s never the trial that makes us stronger; it’s what we choose to do with that trial.
If we choose to lay it at the foot of the cross, and say we give this trial to you. Then in faith and trust that he will help us, we can remember what it says in the book of James.
‘whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete and lack nothing.’
We have a God who walks with us, not only in the easy times, but also in the storms and the trials that we face in our lives. God is the one who can calm the storms for us, the one who can bring us the hope and the knowledge that we need to face any situation, however dire we may feel that the situation is.
As Christians we don’t walk the journey of life on our own, we walk with a God who wants to know us, to be there for us in everything that we have to face, and when we call upon him we can have the confidence, the faith, to know that he will be there to guide and strengthen us in any situation.
Many years ago, Mikki bought me a cross which was engraved with a prayer that sits in my study, and I would like to share with you.
If you have a secret sorrow,
a burden or a loss,
an aching need for healing,
Hang it on the cross.
If worry steals your sleep,
and makes you turn and toss,
if your heart is feeling heavy,
hang it on the cross.
Every obstacle to faith,
or doubt you come across,
every prayer unanswered,
Hang it on the cross.
For Christ has borne our brokenness,
and dearly paid the cost,
to turn our trials to triumph.
Hang it on the cross.
Sadly, far too often, we act like the disciples who were afraid on the boat, we try to face the problems that we encounter on our own, we look to the world, and its solutions, and often find that the solutions it offers don’t bring us the peace that we long for, our faith doesn’t enter into the equation.
Our Gospel reminds us that Christ stilled the waters for the disciples in our Gospel, let us remember this morning, that whenever we turn to Christ. He will be an ever-present help to us and be there as our guide in all the storms that we encounter in our lives.
Amen.
