Will You Believe?

“Jesus went throughout Galilee…healing every disease and sickness among the people” Matthew 4:23.

Jesus did not go alone for we know he was accompanied by the disciples.  Over and over again they witnessed the powerful healing of their Teacher and the many miracles that He performed.  They never got tired of seeing a broken man made whole or witnessing a blind person seeing the beautiful landscape for the first time.  I am sure they were sharing their stories and exhorting others to have faith…to believe…to not fear.  No doubt, they had been a part of many celebrations of joy upon those recipients of the miracle.  Their conversations after each miracle must have buzzed with excitement, recounting the moments and their gratitude to be chosen to travel with Jesus.  And yet, when the storm hits just a little while after these celebrations, their faith becomes as absent as the sun on the sea that night.  At first glance, I wonder…I might even judge… and then I remember. "Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?" (Mark 4:38).

It had been a nice evening at a wonderful church with sweet Christian people at their Christmas banquet.  As I was giving a speech about the faithfulness of God, and how he brought me through my daughter’s eight year drug use, my daughter was in her home relapsing.  As I was feeling confident draping her five year sobriety safety net around my heart she was breaking her own heart by searching for more pain pills.  As I was hugging the church members goodbye she was embracing the reality of opening that door again to heroin.  Upon discovery of her relapse, the boat jolted, I lost my footing and felt the drenching waters of fear splashing over the sides of my heart.  In an effort to comfort and encourage me my husband asked a staggering and sobering question?  ‘Brenda, will you believe the words on the pages of your speech or will they be forgotten?’  The question splashed a cold bucket of reality over my heart.  The question activated my faith and I chose to ride this storm on the waves of my testimony.  Jesus was in the boat…He had navigated this storm before.  He had docked this rocky ship many times and led it safe to shore. 

In the Gospels Jesus commands us over 21 times to not fear…take heart and to have courage.  He wants us to live in the truth of our testimonies, not to just wear it around like a warm sweater on a calm spring day.  When encapsulating storms hit, we have to know that our faith will be activated like a life preserver and sit behind Jesus as He safely takes us to shore.  Shore may be found on earth or in Heaven but either way, we find ourselves living in the faith for which we encourage others to have.

…and each of us will take heart all the way to Heaven.