Luther Seminary

A daily devotion brought to you by the alumni of Luther Seminary

Archives for June 18, 2009

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Mark 4:35-41 (NRSV)

Read Mark 4:35-41 on biblegateway.com

Verse 35On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." Verse 36And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. Verse 37A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. Verse 38But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" Verse 39He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. Verse 40He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" Verse 41And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

Devotion

Yesterday when I came home exhausted, my daughter came to me in a huff. I quickly noticed her mood and asked, “Are you about to tattle on someone?” She said, “No ... but I just want to tell you what so-and-so did …” Her assumption was that, if only I knew how unfair her life was, I would care about her situation.

When the disciples saw Jesus sleeping in the midst of the storm at sea, they made an assumption, too. They said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Of course Jesus cared very much about the lives of his disciples, but Jesus knew the disciples were in no danger and it frustrated him that they didn’t believe that as well.

It’s easy for us, when things aren’t working out according to our own plans, to assume that God must not care about us. The next time we feel that our boat is about to sink, instead of accusing God of not caring, let’s try asking what he would like us to do. Trusting in the Lord is not easy, but it’s all we’ve got.

Prayer

Savior, how many times I have doubted your love for me! Forgive my lack of faith and help me find my peace in you. Amen.

Jill Bergman St. James Lutheran Church in Crystal, Minnesota