In stormy times, where is your faith?
A Lenten reflection on Luke 8:22-25

Stormy times always kick up this question, “Lord, where are you?”. This past year, covid et al has had many of us ask that question. At times it seems like we are perishing under the wind and the waves and the storm is relentless. In the Gospel of Luke 8:22-25 the disciples say to the Lord in Luke8:24, “Master, Master, we are perishing!

Which one of us would ever forget the moment we almost died. The disciples remember the time they almost died. The storm and the wind came down on the lake and the boat was filling with water and they were in danger (Luke8:23b). In a way the question Jesus asks them “where is your faith” seems a bit unfair. These were seasoned fishermen who are used to handling rough waters and this storm must have been out of their depth. Luke clearly tells us that they were in danger. Is not the question of Jesus a bit unreasonable in the face of danger? Are we too in the dock with the Lord when we cry out to help to him in our storm?

The Gospel records four reactions of Jesus in this chronological order. (1) He awoke (2) He rebuked the wind and the raging waves (and they ceased) (3) there was calm (4) AND THEN he said to them, “where is your faith”. While I have stuck to the order of events, I have deliberately added what is in parenthesis and some words in capitals to draw out the obvious conclusion.

We are told that the Lord awoke when they called out to him. Till then he slept through the storm! So, is it a bad thing that Jesus is sleeping in our boat while a storm rages in our lives? Let’s first get this right. He may be sleeping but HE IS STILL IN OUR BOAT. Jesus has not abandoned us! If Jesus is asleep in your boat during a storm, that’s a good thing. Think about it, If Jesus is not worried about the storm and is sleeping through it then you too should catch a few winks. Just relax, stop stressing over your storm. Enjoy his peace. One day you will look back and think, ‘ah that was nothing, just a bad gust of wind.’