Seed and Yeast

 

Staying Afloat

Welcome to my blog as DS of the Columbia District of the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. I will post here mostly reflections that I have concerning ministry, the present situation we find ourselves in as a church, as an area and as a society. Leave your comments or just read and reflect.

Prayer to Begin:

O God who is greater than the most powerful forces in this world,

enable us to be still and know that You are God.

O Lord who answers out of the whirlwind of everyday life,

breathe in us Your Holy Spirit to strengthen, comfort, and guide us in the midst of the storm.

O still, small voice, speak to us this hour

that we might become makers of Your peace

in our homes, in our communities, in our world.

We pray all this in the name of the One who calmed the raging sea. Amen.

 

~ posted on My Redeemer Lives website. http://www.myredeemerlives.com/prayers.html

 

"The Hand of God" by Yongsung Kim

Matthew 14: 22-33

Right then, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side of the lake while he dismissed the crowds. When he sent them away, he went up onto a mountain by himself to pray. Evening came and he was alone. Meanwhile, the boat, fighting a strong headwind, was being battered by the waves and was already far away from land.

 

Very early in the morning he came to his disciples, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified and said, "It's a ghost!" They were so frightened they screamed. Just then Jesus spoke to them, "Be encouraged! It's me. Don't be afraid." Peter replied, "Lord, if it's you, order me to come to you on the water." And Jesus said, "Come." Then Peter got out of the boat and was walking on the water toward Jesus. But when Peter saw the strong wind, he became frightened. As he began to sink, he shouted, "Lord, rescue me!" Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him, saying, "You man of weak faith! Why did you begin to have doubts?" When they got into the boat, the wind settled down. Then those in the boat worshipped Jesus and said, "You must be God's Son!"

 

Musing

This passage seems pretty timely to me. As the old familiar hymn goes: “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.”

 

I know I feel like the waves of life are battering me about. What with the looming reality of millions of people suddenly facing eviction, loss of unemployment stipends, the uncertainty of when life will begin to resemble anything we are familiar with, a President questioning the possibility of a fair election, a fall season where we will not be able to return to our local church programing as usual with choir practice and Sunday School classes and Bible Studies and such. Add the whole reassessment of our institutions and how racism has formed and influenced them and our entire society the waves are rolling, and the boat is pitching, and we are taking on water, and nothing seems certain.

 

I feel a lot like Peter in this passage right now. I have been inspired by the life and teachings and ways of Jesus. I have been humbled by the examples of the saints through out history and in our own time. I have found comfort and solace and motivation through their words and actions. I have been inspired to climb over the boat’s side and walk on the waves and I have done so every now and again.

 

But just as I am getting comfortable walking on the water the complete mess of things comes crashing down on me and I begin to sink beneath the waves. I shout with Peter, “Lord, rescue me!” and I wait for Jesus to reach out and grab me. And this is were the similarity ends. I am again confronted with the reality of Jesus’ words to Thomas in John’s Gospel, "Do you believe because you see me? Happy are those who don't see and yet believe." I realize for the hundredth or thousandth of millionth time that the Biblical story is meant to inspire and challenge but not meant literally.

 

As one who has not seen and yet believes I must find others way to have Jesus grab me and pull me to safety when my faith is weak and I have doubts and fear has its way with me. I am not sure what it means to be a good Wesleyan, but I do rely a lot on scripture, tradition, reason, and experience to help me in my life in general and in my life of faith in particular.

 

When my fear takes hold and my doubts pull be down and my faith weakens and I begin to sink I turn to the Bible, to stories like this one for Sunday. I read about Elijah and the still small voice, I remember Hagar and Ismael and I reflect on Paul and Silas and it helps bring some calm. I look to the traditions of our faith and those of others and I explore various cultures and find examples of how people have found their way in difficult times. I rehash my own story and my experiences and remember those times and places where I have been grabbed ahold of and pulled to safety by my faith. I remember the experiences of others that I know and trust and how they have found their way to stay atop the waves. And I let reason in, I realize that over the great arch of history good has slowly found a way. I know that people are basically good, that with a little encouragement and example people will do what is needed.

 

And the hand of Christ reaches out and grabs ahold of me and pulls me from the waters. And the voice of Christ says, “You man of weak faith. Why did you begin to have doubts?” but the tone isn’t condemning and it isn’t shaming, it is even said with just a little bit of humor because Jesus knows that these moments of weak faith and doubt are all to common and every time they are overcome and that brings just a hint of a smile to Jesus’ face.

 

Right now, we may need to tread water and not walk atop the waves. Our faith might not be strong enough to keep us walking on water but it is strong enough to keep us afloat and provide us with a way to once again climb into the boat and then out of the boat again. It’s ok to feel like your awash in the sea just realize that the life ring is already around you and the rope attached to it is being pulled toward a bit of safety and that once you are back in the boat the waves will calm and the wind die down as you get your bearings and prepare for the next storm. As I was told, John Wesley was given the advice to preach faith until you get it and then preach it all the more. You, me, we all have faith so let’s preach it even when we aren’t sure we can keep our own heads above the water, and know that your faith is enough for even these storms.

 

I want to end with reading the words of a song. Let them be for us the benediction to this time of devotion:

 

Closing Song

You call me out upon the waters

The great unknown where feet may fail

And there I find You in the mystery

In oceans deep my faith will stand

 

And I will call upon Your name

And keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest in Your embrace

For I am Yours and You are mine

 

Your grace abounds in deepest waters

Your sovereign hand will be my guide

Where feet may fail, and fear surrounds me

You've never failed, and You won't start now

 

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior

 

~ Joel Houston, Matt Crocker, Salomon Ligthelm. Copyright © 2012 Hillsong Music Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing).