[ Today's Readings ]
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
The storms of sin sometimes overwhelm us. Our circumstances seem like too much for us. We can't figure out how to avoid sinking beneath the ways. Our skills at sailing aren't enough. But God does care that we are perishing. What he really wants is for us to turn to him.
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up,
rebuked the wind,
and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”
He does care. We can trust that. We can learn to trust it so much that we are no longer terrified even amidst the storms of life.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
Rather than being driven to him by fear and desperation we can make our requests known to him and keep peace within.
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (see Philippians 4:6-7).
Even when we're sinking through our own fault he still cares enough to calm the winds.
Nathan answered David: “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin:
you shall not die.
But let us approach him immediately, before the damage becomes more permanent.
Free me from blood guilt, O God, my saving God;
then my tongue shall revel in your justice.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
When we entrust everything to Jesus our lives are not suddenly free from storms. Instead we discover that Jesus is the one whom even the winds and the waves obey. He may allow our ships to be tossed by those waves, but only so that we turn to him more and more.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
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