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Do You Really Know How Much God Cares?

What is the first thought about God that goes through your mind when a storm hits your life? Do you think that Jesus doesn't care for you? Do you question His concern about what is going on in your life? If you do, you are not alone. Still, that kind of response to Jesus is not what He is after in our lives at all. He longs for us to have confident faith in His love for us.

I'm amazed at how many examples in the bible model my own lack of faith. In Mark 4:38 Jesus is awakened by disturbed disciples with the question, “Teacher, don't you care if we drown?” Martha accused Jesus in Luke 10:40 when she said, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?” She went on to tell Jesus what to do by saying, “Tell her to help me.” Is this the way you pray? It's only human, but it falls short of the kind of prayer that Jesus longs for us to pray in our times of crisis.

Jesus had a question or two for the disciples. They are questions we need to ask ourselves. The day before had been long, but exciting. Crowds of people were flocking to Jesus. The disciples had the great idea to put Him on a boat so He could be heard by all and the people couldn't crowd Him. At the end of the day when all the great teaching was done, the decision was made to go to the other side of the lake and start again in the morning. Jesus went down to the stern of the boat and went to sleep while the seasoned sailors handled the rest. That was fine with them, until a squall came up and stirred up waves that threatened to sink the boat. At a moment like that, they didn't want to see Jesus sleeping. His sleeping indicated to them that He didn't care.

The disciples’ assumptions about Jesus could not be farther from the truth. His sleeping didn't mean He didn't care, far from it. What it meant was that He knew the outcome of the day and although the storm was furious, His presence meant they were secure. When they woke Him with their accusing question, He didn't get angry and scold them for their lack of faith. He accepted that they really didn't understand Who He was and that their spiritual understanding was lacking. He simply got up and told the storm to quiet. It was only after that that Jesus asked them the two questions whose answers show so much about our faith.

He asked, “Why are you so afraid?” and “Do you still have no faith?” If you don't believe that Jesus cares for you, your negative circumstances will certainly bring to the surface fear and lack of faith. It is only determined trust in the belief that Jesus cares for you more than anyone else in the world that will breed lack of fear and faith in negative circumstances. Do you really know how much Jesus cares?

 

 

 

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