Battleship

Mark 4:35-41

This summer one of the blockbuster movies is named after a famous pen and paper game, which later became a board game. Remember "Battleship?" I loved it as a kid... "you sank my battleship!" I loved it when I sank my brother's aircraft carrier, because that was the BIG one. This movie is based loosely on the game, and it has the US Navy fighting a phantom fleet of alien ships.

That is a bit different than the smallish boat that Jesus is on when a storm blows up and scares everyone in the boat except Jesus. This is one of the most famous stories of Jesus. The disciples fear for their lives in the storm and Jesus says, "Peace. Be still" while scolding the disciples for their lack of faith.

Life can be like a fight against alien battleships sometimes, can't it? We don't know what is ahead of us and we can't see the obstacles and the dangers that lie ahead. Life can be like a boat tossed on a stormy sea, too, can't it?  The storm is all around us. The intensity doesn't seem to waver. The waves crash around us and it is easy to lose faith.

"When the storms of life are raging, stand by me. When the world is tossing me like a ship upon the sea, thou who rulest wind and water, stand by me." Lyrics to a great old song that fits this scripture reading.

How do we continue to have faith when we are facing unknown battles ahead? How do we believe that Jesus will create peace in our lives if we just have a little faith?  It is hard sometimes to have faith. But that is what Jesus calls us to do. And we have to believe that Jesus will, indeed, stand by us.

What are the battles you fight that challenge your faith? What do you do when storms rage around you? Email me or comment below.