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Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Sinking Down Into Doubt
Isaiah 43:1-3; Matthew 14:22-33
Working my way towards Sunday's sermon, I got all-too-timely word that my grand-dog Harry had a serious new problem. It would have made a powerful preaching illustration, but I didn't know how to talk about it in public.
Let me explain.
The message focused on Jesus' miracle of walking on the water during a night-time storm on the Sea of Galilee, and pulling Peter out of the surging waves just in the nick of time.
Jesus had sent the disciples on ahead by boat after a long hard day doing what Messiahs do. Teaching, healing, and feeding 5,000 people with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fishes. He stayed behind to pray by himself a while, then he headed out to meet the boat the hard way -- by walking on the water!
When the disciples recognized him Peter called out, "Lord, if that's really you, let me walk out there and meet you partway!" And that's what Jesus did.
Peter couldn't believe what he was doing. Defying the law of gravity, for God's sake! And by God's power. In fact, he stopped believing it.... He felt the force of the wind, stared at the waves, and thought, "Wait a minute. I can't do this! Nobody can walk on water."
And he began to sink.
Then he prayed the world's most effective, eloquent prayer -- "Lord, save me!" Which Jesus did, right then and there.
So, the point was: No matter how stormy life gets, Jesus will always show up to help you through.
Now, that idea got started way before Jesus ever came on the scene. It's there in Sunday's other Bible passage, too. Isaiah 43 assures the people of Judah, exiled far from home in Babylon, that God will always be with them -- even when their path leads through the hottest fires and the deepest floods. Come hell or high water, so to speak, God will always show up to help them.
Okay. But what about Sharon and Victor's terrier Harry?
If you've been reading my blog, you'll remember that my daughter Sharon and her husband Victor Hernandez experienced two tragic losses in 2007. (See my December 31 post.)
In August, Sharon suffered a miscarriage at the 5-month point of gestation. They'd wanted so much to have a child, but now their hopes and dreams lay shattered. Then, 2 days after Christmas, their 20-year-old dog Pepper was euthanized, releasing her from a host of sicknesses. But extending Victor and Sharon's season of suffering by much too much.
And now, just a few days before I would preach on life's storms and Christ's saving presence, Harry suddenly went deaf. It had to do somehow with a routine ear-cleaning at the vet's office. Maybe it was the medication prescribed to follow up the procedure? Whatever, and why ever, my grand-dog couldn't hear anymore! And now, days later, he still can't hear a thing.
How confused and frightened he must be. How worried and angry his mom and dad are. How very very sad I am.
All of us know the Lord is here, strong and wise and kind to help. Come hell or high water, so to speak, God in Christ knows exactly what we're going through and goes through it with us. Every step of the way. All the way.
Even so, it still hurts. Like hell and high water.
I'm tempted to ask God right now, "How much do my kids have to suffer? In such quick succession? And what's next?" Tempted nothing. I am asking it.
There. That felt good.
The answer I hear is very unspecific. But good enough to sustain us for now -- Sharon, Victor, my wife and me, and Harry too, if dogs understand the Bible....
On that dark and stormy night Jesus told Peter and his pals, "Don't be afraid. It's me. I'm here with you." And when Peter reached out for help, Jesus picked him up and got him back in the boat. The wind died down, and the sea was as smooth as glass again.
So we won't be afraid (for long, or only). We look and listen for signs that Christ is with us. To know our stormy problems... To experience them with us... To give us just the help we need... Just the way we need it... Just when we need it most.
God knows, I want that to mean our little Harry will hear again.
Listen to the GODcast!
posted by Jack Buckley at
11:05 AM
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