The Courage of Faith

Most (if not all) of us can identify with the disciples in the boat with Jesus during that big storm recorded in Luke 8. We would love to identify more with Jesus: resting so confidently in his Father’s protection that he can sleep through the middle of a hurricane. But we don’t. At least not normally. We identify with the disciples and their fear. We know that Jesus plans to take us to the other side of the sea, but it looks like somewhere along the way he may have changed his plans. So we, logically (at least in our minds) begin to worry. We’re afraid like they are.

Because we think we are being sensible, the waking words of Jesus to the disciples—to us!– sting a bit when we hear them: “Where is your faith?” That hurts. I’m just being rational and looking at the very real situation that is around me at this time, analyzing the situation in my great wisdom, and coming to a very logical, well-reasoned conclusion. A little boat in the midst of a hurricane-like storm doesn’t stand a chance. “Jesus, if you were a fisherman and fished this sea as much as us, you’d understand that. You need to know that it is time to be afraid.” Sounds perfectly logical, yet Jesus, knowing what normally happens to boats in storms on the sea, still questions the faith of his closest companions and the ones who will be the foundation of the church.

Fear was controlling their thinking. Fear was disorienting them, keeping them from understanding the reality of the situation. That’s right. They didn’t understand reality. Their view of reality was skewed. Yes, the wind and waves were real. Yes, water was coming into the boat, threatening to sink them. All that was real. But there was a deeper reality that controlled those winds and waves and determined the fate of everyone in that boat as well as the other boats with them: the Word of God. Jesus commanded that they were going to the other side of the sea. That was reality.

God’s Word is the source of our reality. We see this from the beginning. God’s Word precedes and is the means by which everything we see came into existence (cf. e.g., Heb 11.3). God’s Word is more fundamental and real than anything your five senses can detect. God’s Word determines what is real. Not to believe that Word because of fear or whatever other reason we may give is the denial of reality and, therefore, insanity. In fact, that is how Paul describes sin in Romans 1.19ff. Nevertheless, we are still many times in the same boat as the disciples (pun intended!). We go crazy by denying the reality that is God’s Word.

What is the answer to this? Faith. That’s it. We receive what God said and rest in it. This faith then encourages us. That is, to use the etymology of the word, courage is put in us. Faith whips our fears into submission so that they are controlling our actions and keeping us from our duties. As we are going in faith, fear may never be totally absent. But when we’re walking by faith, even when we’re afraid, we won’t be cowards. We’ll rest in what Jesus says, obeying his commands, with the full confidence that he has a plan for all of it … even those high winds and waves. His plan may just be that we will call out to him, once again realizing our desperate need of him. He may, at that moment, tell the winds and waves to hush. But then again, there may be times he simply rides out the storms with us. Even in this, he has a plan and we can trust him.

How do we develop this kind of courage? If courage is rooted in faith (and it is), then we develop this courage in all the ways that we develop our faith. God has given us so many gifts to grow in our faith, and we must make use of what he has given us. He has provided the meal, but he expects us to take up the food and eat. God encourages us through so many different ways. As our minds are saturated in his Scriptures, he teaches us how we are to think about him and his world. We enjoy the privilege of being able to read his Word and hear it in so many venues today. We are encouraged when we gather together as the people of God around his Word and Sacrament. Not only do we hear, but we eat and drink. God nourishes us as his people. These are indispensable to our growth in the faith. But then we also have our daily lives in which we encourage one another through an edifying word, a loving gesture, being there for one another in difficult times, letting others know that you are praying for them, sitting in silence with someone who is hurting, sharing a meal with someone, or helping one another in times of need. We become more and more courageous when we realize that we are not the only ones in this boat. Many with us desire the same things and are headed in the same direction.

So, receive encouragement from your family in Christ. Be an encouragement to your family in Christ. Encourage one another, Hebrews says, while it is still called “Today” (Heb 3.13). What you will find is that when you encourage others, you yourself will be encouraged.