Storm Chaser
By Grant Gaines
Is anyone else as obsessed with Mexican food as I am? I honestly think I could eat some sort of Mexican food at every meal for a week straight and still crave more. I love fish tacos, beef burritos, brisket enchiladas, and chicken quesadillas. Come to think of it, I love it all!
But possibly the best part about Mexican food is the chips and salsa before every meal. The two go together like peanut butter and jelly. Like peas and carrots. Like the Fourth of July and fireworks. But here’s the problem: I like chips and salsa so much that I have an awful habit of stuffing myself on them before I ever get my main course. So by the time my meal comes, the brisket tacos that once sounded so appetizing have now lost their appeal. Does anyone else know what I’m talking about?
When it comes to Mexican food, getting stuffed on the appetizer is not that big of an issue. But when it comes to Christianity, getting full on the “appetizer” has negative implications of the highest degree. Let me explain.
Paul is the most prolific author in the New Testament. In fact, he wrote 13 of the 21 epistles in our Bible (Romans-Philemon). And in the opening of every one of his letters, whether it was to an individual or a church, Paul always wrote some form of “Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” “Grace” always precedes “peace” in Paul’s letters because you can’t understand God’s peace until you first accept God’s grace through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
But as can be seen from Paul’s introductions, being comforted by God’s grace isn’t where our Christian walk is supposed to stop-we must also live a life that requires His peace. What’s the difference between comfort and peace? Glad you asked!
Comfort is what you have when you’re under an umbrella in Hawaii with an ice cold lemonade in your hand. Peace, however, is what you need when you’re in the fiercest storm of your life. Peace is what you need in the valleys of life while comfort is what you have in the mountain peaks.
With that definition in mind, I wonder how many Christians today are getting so “full” on the comfort of God’s grace in their own lives that they are not “hungry” enough to live a life that requires His peace.
I want you to take a moment to reflect on your day and honestly ask yourself how different your life would be if the Holy Spirit, the very Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11), was not in you. Would there be a big difference or a small one? Sadly, for many of us, the difference would be minor if any at all.
And the reason for this reality is that we live such sheltered and comfortable lives that we forfeit a life that requires God to be God. And the reason we don’t see as many miracles today as we did in the Bible is because in order to witness a miracle you have to be willing to step in a storm. And that’s exactly what the disciples did in Matthew 14.
Jesus had just finished feeding over 5,000 people with, “…only five loaves of bread and two fish…” (Matthew 14:17, NIV) when He sent the disciples on a boat across the Sea of Galilee while, “…He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray…” (Matthew 14:23, NIV).
Not too long after the disciples began their voyage, “…a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves” (Matthew 14:24, NLT). Now, before most of these men were picked out by Jesus to become “fishers of men” they were fishermen. So the fact that Matthew records that these lifelong fishermen were straining at the oars against the wind and waves indicates how powerful this storm must have been.
But these 12 disciples had walked with the Son of God for at least a year by now, so what do you think they did? They probably prayed, right? And what do you think they were praying for? They likely prayed something similar to what they prayed during an earlier storm in Matthew 8:25 (NIV), “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
And so at, “About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water” (Matthew 14:25, NLT).
I love this part of the story because we see the two categories of Christians that we have just been discussing-those who are “full” on God’s grace and those who are motivated by His grace to live a life that requires God’s peace.
For 11 of the disciples, the thought of Jesus eventually coming to them was enough, but not for Peter, not for someone who constantly lives a life that requires God’s peace. You see, Peter knew that if the only way to be with Jesus was to go through a storm, it was worth it. So, “…Peter got down out of the boat, [and] walked on the water…toward Jesus” (Matthew 14:29, NIV).
Sure, Peter got a little spooked when he took his eyes off Jesus (don’t we all?), but you have to admire his faith that moved God to produce a miracle-a faith that stepped out of its comfort zone and into the realm of God’s peace.
And here’s the best part of the story-just as Peter received peace from Christ in the midst of the storm, we can still count on Jesus to be, “… an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…” (Hebrews 6:19, NIV) even our fiercest storms. With that being said, won’t you join me in living a life not only of God’s grace but also a life that is willing to step into a storm to accept of God’s peace?
“In every high and stormy gale,
My Anchor holds within the veil.”1
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
©Grant Gaines 2013
