Again, Again, Again

The Lord Speaks

Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

 “Who is this that obscures my plans
    with words without knowledge?
 Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.

 “Who shut up the sea behind doors
    when it burst forth from the womb,
when I made the clouds its garment
    and wrapped it in thick darkness,
when I fixed limits for it
    and set its doors and bars in place,
 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
    here is where your proud waves halt’? (Job 38:1-11)

Jesus Calms the Storm

 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”  Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.  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?” (Mark 4:35-41)

I have recently watched two movies where an individual was trying to perfect a skill. Their seemingly heartless instructor gave the same simple command to each of them over and over, “Again.” Again. Again. Again. My parents are 80 and let’s face it they are getting “old.” I am not disparaging them, they have been claiming to be “old” for a decade now. Their lives this past year have reflected the stormy sea many times over, but especially this past week: a beloved brother-in-law in hospice, a brother in the ICU, a decades old friend moving away, and a bike accident and ER visit to top it all off. Stormy indeed. This past Sunday, before the storms mentioned, my mom shared that she struggled with the constant anxiety of “what will happen next.” I prayerfully reflected on how to best respond. Some could look at that attitude at lack of faith. That is not what the Lord showed me in that moment. I asked my mom a simple question, “Thus far, have you been able to handle everything that has happened?” She replied, “Yes.” That friends is having Jesus in the boat. I told her to look at everything she has weathered and to recognize that it is God who equips her each time. I told her a truth she probably didn’t want to hear: the storms are going to keep coming, don’t worry about IF they will, or WHAT they will look like. Accept simply that the storms will come and when they do trust that the Lord will see you through and equip you just as He has already done. I told her to pray, “Lord you have given me what I need so far, I trust that you will continue to do so.” When wave after wave is crashing over the boats of life we can feel like God is the taskmaster repeating: Again. Again. Again. All the while Jesus is in the boat waiting for us to stop responding with anxiety and to start responding with trust. “Why are you terrified?” Poop happens, again and again in life, independent of our relationship with the Lord, the difference is whether we are going to react to it or respond to it. To react is to give our flight or fight response control. To respond is to allow our relationship with God to control our flight or fight reaction. To respond is to live a life of trust built up over a lifetime of being delivered to the other side.

Some 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 drunkards;
    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.
 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
    and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people
    and praise him in the council of the elders. (Psalm 107)