A few weeks ago my mom called me from the Costco parking lot and told me she couldn't remember where she parked her car. I wasn't sure what I could do to help her, as I was a good 10 miles from there, but as we talked she eventually located her car. At no point and time did I question whether or not she had a car. I've seen her car and I'm certain that's how she got to Costco in the first place. The question was, "Where did she park her car?"
My question for you today is this: "Where have you parked your faith?"
Jesus asked a similar question of the disciples when they found themselves in peril as they sailed across the sea of Galilee.
Luk 8:22-25 NKJV Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake." And they launched out. (23) But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. (24) And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. (25) But He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"
Jesus most certainly wouldn't have asked "Where is your faith?" if he didn't think they had faith. He just wanted to know where it was at the moment. Just as I knew my mom's car existed, the question simply had to do with where it was.
For the disciples, their faith was "parked" in all the wrong places. First of all, they had faith in themselves. Notice that is says "they" launched out and "they" set sail. They were very familiar with being in a boat and sailing across the sea. Some of them had done it hundreds of times in their life. So, they believed in their own ability to do what Jesus said, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."
But then the storm began to rage. Suddenly, it became difficult to continue using all their experience and abilities to reach the other side. The storm was immense and formidable. Their faith shifted from their abilities to the power of the storm. They believed the storm would have its way that day.
This led them to begin speaking a perilous outcome. I imagine it was a frantic conversation that grew quickly from "this isn't good" to "this is really bad" to "the boat is going to sink" to "we're all going to die!" As they spoke negatively, their faith was parked in their words. Apparently, they were all in agreement with this negative outcome as "they" came to Jesus saying, "We are perishing!"
Of course, Jesus had to be awaken because he was resting during the storm. He wasn't worried, anxious, or fearful. Once he rebukes the storm and the wind and waves become calm, he asks "Where is your faith?"
Many times we can park our faith in the wrong place. We can simply have faith in our own abilities and talents, which can lead us to not trusting fully in God. Sometimes the trials of life can rage mightily all around us and we wrongfully believe it is greater than our God. Other times, our faith is placed in the negative words of others, or even in our own words, which cause us to forget the very promises of God's word.
My encouragement to you today is this:
Place your faith in God's ability over your own.
Keep your eyes on Jesus, no matter how big the storm is.
Speak according to God's promises while avoiding negative words.
Stay blessed!
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