“Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” Luke 8:25
Why are the disciples surprised? They had already seen remarkable demonstrations of the power of Jesus. Think about what has already happened in Luke’s Gospel:
- Jesus drove out a demon (4:39)
- Jesus healed all who were brought to him (4:40)
- Jesus healed a leper (5:12)
- Jesus healed a paralytic (5:17)
- Jesus healed a centurion’s servant, by speaking (7:1-10)
- Jesus healed a dead man who was already in a tomb (7:11)
The disciples had seen all this! They had seen his power over disease, demons, and death. They had seen the ability of God.
Now in chapter 8, we find them in a boat on the lake and a storm blows up. The problem is that although they know the power of God, they are unable to make a connection between the ability of God and the situation they are in. They looked at the situation in purely secular terms. So they panic. And Jesus says to them “Where is your faith?” You have seen what I can do in relation to disease, demons, and death, why could you not factor in what I can do in this situation?
Where do you need to factor in the ability of God? Is it loneliness? A health issue? Your marriage? In the battle of living an authentic Christian life? Is it the fear of being different? The problem is that we often evaluate our problems in purely secular terms.
When we do that, we say things like: There is no hope. It’s beyond what I can do. I can’t see any way out. I don’t have the strength. Yes, but have you factored in the ability of God?
Where do you need to factor in the ability of God?
