An instance of HWN this week was pondering a few times on this story from the Savior’s life:
And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
I’ve never been on a sea in the middle of a storm… and surely never while in a first-century sailboat, but I imagine I would have responded similarly — fearing for my life! I may have thought and cried, “Christ, don’t you care that I’m about to die!”
Although I’ve never experienced a physical storm in this way, I have experienced emotional and spiritual storms. And sometimes I’ve wondered, “Don’t you care Father?” In reality, this question is based on fear, and reflects a lack of faith in the Lord’s care (or “no faith”). I don’t think it was the apostles’ fear that they were going to die that Christ rebuked, rather their fear that He didn’t care. He always cares, and He has invited us to always remember that!
This reminds me of a couple quotes. President Monson taught last October at General Conference that:
“Remember that faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.” (Be an Example and a Light)
And last night in the first session of this Fall’s general conference, President Uchtdorf taught:
“No, the purpose of faith is not to change God’s will, but to empower us to act on God’s will. Faith is trust — trust that God sees what we cannot, that he knows what we do not. Sometimes trusting our own vision and judgement is not enough.”
I want to do better at always remembering that Christ cares and that my needs and wants are safe in his care!
p.s. I got a couple nice shots at the Provo City Center Temple this morning during my scripture study:
