Orig: 12/10/02
Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the LORD, his wonderful deeds in the deep. For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves.They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits' end. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Psalm 107:23-30
A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" Mark 4:37-41
“Do you get sea sick?”
If you have fished for any length of time you have probably been asked this question. I was asked this question last summer when my dad took my brother Tom and I to Sitka, Alaska for a four day fishing trip. Fishing Salmon and Halibut in Alaska has been a lifelong dream of mine so I jumped at the chance.
Although I have been sea sick in the past, I am usually pretty good unless the sea gets really rough. My dad is another story. As much as dad loves to fish the poor guys gets sea sick pretty bad. His love for fishing far outweighs his fear of getting sea sick so he keeps trying to find a panacea for his motion sickness. Dad has taken pills, used wrist bands, and used a patch behind his ear on this trip, which seems to be popular among contemporary fisherman. Dad did great for the first two days but day three got pretty rough and true to form, we laughed as dad almost fell overboard as he rushed to the back of the boat losing his breakfast before we left the bay!
Being a professing “non-swimmer” I have a tremendous respect and healthy fear of the ocean and what it has the potential to do to me.
The ocean is a small reminder to the power of God.
Like a wave slamming into to the bow of an Alaskan fishing boat of all the things that crash into a man the one thing he should fear crashing into him is God. One cannot fully grasp the power of God until he sees God’s power manifested in nature like the tsunami striking the coast of Japan, the remnant of the Mount St. Helens eruption, the depth of Hells Canyon in the fall, the view from the top of Mount Everest, or the waves crashing into the Oregon Coast.
The bravest of men will run for cover at the site of an oncoming tornado. The strongest of men will run from the leaping flames of a wild fire. The smartest of men will be silenced in ignorance as he studies the stars. The most athletic of men will concede to the depths of God’s great oceans. The most ingenious of men will surrender to the gravitational pull as he is dangled from an airplane at 30,000 feet. Our perspective of God changes when we compare it to the miniscule role we play in creation. Our world is so small. We cower in fear, melt away in despair, and shudder in utter panic when faced with the reality of God.
Fear the God who “stilled the storm to a whisper (Psalm 107:29.” Fear the Savior “sleeping on a cushion (Mark 4:38).” Fear the one who can send a man’s soul to the fire and loneliness of Hell. A man should tremble (Philippians 2:12) when he is momentarily able to see the awesome holiness of God. The bravest of men will have his courage “melted away” when He stands before the Creator of the universe. In fact, no man will stand but all knees will bow (Philippians 2:9-10).
This is real fear. This is legitimate fear. It is the kind of fear that melts human courage in the face of the Divine. True manhood is impossible apart from total surrender to Jesus. True courage comes to the man who has been melted by the presence of God in his life.
