March 9, 2018
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For Emergency Use Only!
The actions “. . . of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes! . . . . People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat Him like God, refusing to worship Him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life! They traded the glory of God . . . for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand . . . . They traded the true God for a fake god, and worshiped the god they made instead of the God who made them!” Romans 1:18-19, 21-23, & 25 [MSG] – (E.M. - emphasis mine)
So it has always been! There is not a one of us that innately desires to be dependent on someone or something else. We have all been born with the internal desire to be independent – to be free! From our youth up, we have longed to be able to get out from under our parents' supervision and control; to be out on our own and to try to make our own way. This is a very natural need that we all share. We do want to be independent of all others (including God Himself) until we don't!
There was an event early on in Jesus' ministry illustrating this very idea. Jesus beckoned His disciples to take one of the fishing boats and sail across the Sea of Galilee to the other side. As they traveled, Jesus fell asleep.
Now unlike the majority of them, four of the disciples; Peter, Andrew, James and John were seasoned fisherman - professionals (though reading through the Gospels, they never once caught any fish without Jesus' express instructions). They knew how to mend and ply their nets, care for their boats and were savvy at navigating the fickle waters of the relatively shallow Galilean Sea. Despite such skills, it was not uncommon for storms of varying strengths to sweep down from the hills that surrounded the lake, challenging the abilities of even the most experienced of seamen. And that is exactly what happened to the disciples on this occasion.
The storm that ensued was so severe, “water poured in [and the boat was] about to capsize. . . .[The disciples] woke Jesus: 'Master, Master, we're going to drown!' Getting to his feet, he told the wind, 'Silence!' and the waves, 'Quiet down!' . . . . The lake became smooth as glass.” Luke 8:22-25 [MSG]
We (like everyone else, including Jesus' disciples) want to be in control of our own lives. We want to face our daily responsibilities with a sense of confidence and determination. It feels good to be in control and to successfully deal with what life brings to us. And as long as life rolls along at its usual normal everyday pace, and we are able to work through the sundry issues and problems connected to that life, our level of comfort and confidence increases. As such, though we may be strong believers in God and Jesus Christ, it is quite easy to slip into a “just in case” state of mind. We want Jesus, but we want Him to remain quiet and dormant in the corner (sort of like the disciples who were content to have a 'sleeping Jesus' in the back of their boat). It's only when we have an emergency that gets out of hand and beyond our ability to control or handle that we want Jesus to 'step in' and help us.
It is very true that everyone (not simply God believers) is more or less like this. We all want to live independently until we just can't! However, it is the beginning of wisdom and good sense for each of us to come to grips with what Jeremiah, the prophet had learned; “I know, God, that mere mortals can't run their own lives. That men and women don't have what it takes to take charge of life. So correct us, God, as you see best!” Jeremiah 10:23-24 [MSG]
The words of Jeremiah make it abundantly clear that having a part-time Savior is NEVER a good life strategy. Is it wise at all to tuck Jesus away in some closet or in a 'just in case of an emergency' metal box until we really need Him? Can we deal on our own with life's daily issues until those rare occasions occur when we come face to face with a bonafide emergency where we are obviously in over our heads? This is the strategy that most people seem to have adopted.
Our Lord gave a bold uncompromising demand; “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat – I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you?” Luke 9:23-25 [MSG]
Humanity was originally created with the critical need for relationship- relationship to our physical environment, to other people and to our God! We cannot survive without the constant vital connection to ALL of these. People who attempt to survive without, will in all certainty crash and burn!
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