"Where is your faith?"

And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing." And He said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?"

-Matthew 8:25-26

If there was any group of people on this planet that had no reasons to be afraid of this storm, it was the 12 Disciples. Specially chosen by Jesus Himself to proclaim His message to the ends of the earth, they left their families and friends to follow this man all around Israel and learn his teachings. And yet here Jesus calls them out on their lack of faith. It seems kind of harsh, really.

Let's take a look at the situation. Out of nowhere a wind storm arises on the Sea of Galilee, and the boat is being rocked back and forth like a rag doll. Waves are rolling high. Mark's Gospel says that water was pouring over the sides and was slowly filling up the boat. And while all this is happening, Jesus, the God of the universe is sleeping on a cushion by the stern. The disciples are starting to feel a little justified in their fear, their only hope isn't even conscious to save them. Yeah, I'd probably be afraid too.

So after freaking out a good deal, the disciples decide that waking Jesus up would be a good idea, which it was. The problem was not waking Jesus up, although He was probably a little cranky after a rude awakening to His nap, it was why they woke Him up. Matthew says they asked him to save them. Mark's Gospel puts the wake up call like this: "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"

Ouch. According to Mark, they didn't wake Him up to save their lives; they woke Him up because they couldn't understand why He was sleeping when they were clearly about to die. "Wake up Jesus, He needs to join the pity party as we all drown."

Not only did they wake Jesus up to feel bad with them, they assumed that He was going to die in this storm as well. "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" If they really believed Jesus was who He said He was, then they should not be worried about Jesus dying in a little sea storm. "O you of little faith" is starting to sound more and more fitting now.

So Jesus gets up, and He nonchalantly walks to the edge of the boat. Staring into the turbulent waves, He says with both power and boldness, "Peace! Be still!" Not only did the wind and the waves become still, but so did the whining and fear from the disciples.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus simply turns around and says, "Where is your faith?" Packed in this statement Jesus is asking His disciples, "How is it that you guys have left everything you own to follow me, yet don't actually know who I am, nor what I'm capable of doing? You say you know me, but your actions say otherwise."

"Where is your faith?" Faith is not just a belief, but it is a lifestyle. Faith is not saying that that chair can hold me up, but faith is sitting in that chair. Faith is not simply saying God will provide all my needs, but faith is giving my only $20 to someone who really needs it. Faith is action.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"-- and he was called a friend of God.                                      -James 2:21-23 

Faith is tough. I get terrified everyday about dumb, little things. I want to know how things are going to turn out in the end, because I think that the more I know about what is going to happen, the more secure I will be. On the contrary, Oswald Chambers writes, "Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One Who is leading."


As I begin to know Jesus more and more through reading His Word, I will have more and more peace. This peace will allow me to not worry about what the future holds. With peace comes the courage to live a life that is not burdened by worry. Faith is not instant, but rather, it is a walk. "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7)


God, help me to know You more. Keep me active in Your Word. God, remind me daily that faith does not come by knowledge of the future, but by knowledge of You. Please, help me walk by faith.
Amen.