Faith III ...

Thursday, July 24, 2014. What is your favourite statement about faith? What is your faith driven by? What is it based on? It is important to know, what we believe and why! Faith remains faith - that means it is impossible to “prove”. Faith is “trust” by nature, it does not fit any category of proof. But it can still be sound faith, a trust based on knowledge, experience and insight!

Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith? …

My favourite passage about faith is the following, where Jesus stills the storm. But more than that: what fascinates me most is that he sleeps in the storm. That is the real wonder here - the real sign of faith. He is as calm as a baby in the most secure place in the world, sitting in a little boat with high waves around, with the danger to drown any moment! Please read:

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4, 35ff)

The disciples are somehow funny - if the situation would not be so serious. They wake their master and ask him: do you not care, that we are perishing? Is Jesus tired of life? Does he want to die? He will die, soon, at the cross. But here, he is just calm and without any worries.

Showing off …

And then, Jesus is showing off a little - but not with words but with hard facts! He is just calming the storm. He is showing a clear sign of power - just with some words. The winds and the sea obey him - storm calms down, the waves calm down. What is happening here?

You might have your doubts about the story. Perhaps you do not believe that it really happened. I can understand such doubts, it is just too fantastic. But I do believe that it happened. I believe that Jesus has the power to do this, and that he does it and is still doing his wonders today - when ever people believe in him.

When you want to be special as a human, then do not try to have particular skills. But try to have particular faith! Try to put your trust into the Lord, into the heavenly father. And then, see the wonders which can happen. You will have your special experiences - every day the spirit of the Lord will be there and show more of him. Every day you will find new grace, new joy, new wonders of the almighty God. (Roland Potthast) ... more texts