Fear Forces Out Faith; Faith Forces Out Fear

Read Matthew 8:14-27

      The storm-tossed disciples seem to have no doubt that Jesus could do something about their crisis.  “Save us, Lord; we are perishing,” they cried (8:25).  They had seen Jesus perform many miracles, and they seem to be appealing to Jesus for another. 

      So for what “littleness” of faith does Jesus scold them?  Matthew Henry (1662-1714) wrote, “He does not chide them for disturbing him with their prayers, but for disturbing themselves with their fears.”  That appears to be the case.  Faith led them to appeal to Jesus for deliverance, but fear was behind the frenzied complaint that “we are perishing.”  

      Did they really think that they would all perish in the storm before Jesus’ messianic mission could be fulfilled?  We get the idea that Jesus calmed the storm not to save the disciples’ lives, but to quell their fears.  They weren’t perishing as they feared, but their fears were certainly threatening to sink their faith. 

      Sometimes there’s a touch of panicked accusation against God in our prayers for deliverance.  “Don’t you care, Lord, that I am perishing?”  But we’re not perishing; just afraid.  God will preserve us until his purposes for our lives will be fulfilled.

      “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and sea obey him?” asked the disciples among themselves (8:27).  He is the God of our salvation, “who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs” (Psalm 65:7-8).