Trust His Promises

As we learn to develop the skills for ministry we have been discussing over the last several weeks, it will be our trust in God to keep the promises he has made that will both sustain us and call us deeper into ministry. This prayer by Walter Brueggeman, an Old Testament scholar, asks God for help trusting his promises in order that we might answer his call to ministry:

You are the God who makes extravagant promises.

We relish your great promises

of fidelity

and presence

and solidarity

and we exude in them.

Only to find out, always too late,

that your promise always comes

in the midst of a hard, deep call to obedience.

You are the God who calls people like us,

and the long list of mothers and fathers before us,

who trusted the promise enough to keep the call.

So we give you thanks that you are a calling God,

who calls always to dangerous new places.

We pray enough of your grace and mercy among us

that we may be among those

who believe in your promises enough

to respond to your call.

We pray in the one who embodied your promise

and enacted your call, even Jesus. Amen.

-Walter Brueggeman

Even the Waves

That day when evening came, [Jesus] 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?”

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4: 35-39)

Jesus removed the danger. He stopped the boat-sinking waves, but you can sense he hoped he didn’t need to. You can’t overlook what Jesus was doing when the disciples came to him: sleeping. How? He knew Who was in control and trusted Him fully. If only the disciples could have dozed! How extraordinary it must be to have no fear when life’s storms surround us. Can you even imagine not worrying when trying to stay afloat in rough waters? God does desire for even the waves of fear in our hearts to be calmed, whatever happens around us. Physical beings that we are, though, and if we’re honest, we know we aren’t there yet. Still, how good is God for wanting such freedom for each of us. As we mature in Christ, we become more and more like Him and do progressively experience God’s perfect will for us. In the meantime, when we don’t always rest easy on boats being tossed about, it’s nice to know God hears our cries and faithfully responds.

CTL