In The Flow

...Storming Within

Mark 4:41 - "' Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!'" - NKJV

I have been repeatedly reminded of this particular account in the life of Jesus. Jesus and His disciples were setting off across the sea in a boat. They weren't alone. There were even other boats full of people along with them (probably from the crowd he was surrounded by on the shore previously). A storm had begun to stir up and the boat was taking on water. His disciples in their fear called to Him to wake up! He stood up and commanded the sea to be still!

I have always heard pastors and evangelists preach about how Jesus was the master of the sea and of nature! Jesus can calm the storms around us. You know, though, something jumped out at me some time back. Did you catch it?

Mark 4:38 - "But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow..." - NKJV

Jesus was in utter disbelief Himself at their fear (v. 40)! He questioned their utter lack of faith. This disbelief further manifested itself in their question in verse 41 (that's the one I started with). It is right to acknowledge the shear dominion of the Savior over creation! But I think there is something a little nuanced to be learned here. Jesus expected them to trust Him enough to follow suit and take it easy and ride the storm out in the stern! At the very least they should have just stayed calm and ride it out!

There is a tremendous lesson in here about dealing with inner turmoil or the "...Storming Within".

Everyone experiences internal turmoil from time to time! That's just a fact of life, I think. However, it is increasingly becoming clear to me that some people experience turmoil far more frequently and/or more regularly than others! This is no fault of their own but a reality for reasons of chemicals in the brain and sometimes just not knowing how to cope with what seems beyond one's reach or control.

Recently I attended a CD release party for a band called Death Therapy. Jason Wisdom of Becoming the Archetype is the bassist/vocalist. From the stage during their set Jason explained the meaning behind the title of their debut CD, The Storm Before the Calm. Jason explained that as Christians we do not suffer well. We either put on a false face of everything is ok when it really isn't. Or, we wallow in our misery and struggle to see God's hand in our lives and how he will see us through it to the calm on the other side (this paraphrased from memory to the best of my ability). It is important for us to not turn a blind eye to the storms of our lives, be they internal or external. If we are going through a rough time or a difficult situation, then we need to acknowledge it and admit we need God's help to get us to the other side! He promised to get us to the calm after the storm. We not have the situations in our lives changed, but we can know peace beyond description and rest easy in the stern of the boat!

God loves and cherishes us on a level we cannot possibly imagine!

22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life[b]? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 24:22-34 NIV

He calls us to a life free of worry and inner turmoil! He would not expect it of us if He was not willing and beyond able to bring us to it! It's a beautiful thing when I consider that I don't have the responsibility to bring peace to my own heart or calmness to my own mind. I'm a worrier by nature! God knows this, and He is incredibly patient and faithful to walk any one of us through the process of mental renewal and heart renewal so that we can fully realize and enjoy the inner peace that He has designed us for!

Not all of us are inherently capable of just turning off the anxiety that can invade so unexpectedly and uninvited! Remember the mention made about chemicals in the brain. Some of our brothers and sisters in the world need medication to calm the raging storm down in their hearts and minds to a level that God may actually be heard in the storm. Even natural remedies through eating right and making sure we have a healthful internal balance. It is a distracting thing to have your heart and mind stirred up in a storm that you did not create!

We need to understand the call of God in His Word to not worry and rise above the "...Storming Within". We also need to recognize where we might need His help through the means He has blessed us with. Through the wisdom of doctors and the wonders of His creation the chaos and the noise can be brought to a place where we can hear Him better! We also need to be there for each other and others around us in their storms!

I want to be the one asleep in the stern! 

God help me to live in Your calm. Teach me how to see and recognize Your calm and Your hand in my life that will steer me clear in due time! Lord, will you also help me to be that calm for someone else in the midst of their own inner turmoil?

Laserdisc Collection - Highlights! chimpsfall75

Fun in the Flow

http://youtu.be/_FlV6pgwlrk

God is...

"The church is not simply an institution. She is a 'mode of existence,' a way of being." (John Zizioulas, Being as Communion, p. 15)

Mulling over the nature of what it means to be a Christian leading to a careful contemplation of what it means to be me has led to this idea of the church. The stream of what I would call consciousness continues to turn to the nature of God and the nature of His Word, the Bible, causing me to wonder why we so often struggle with the idea of Faith in God being so much more than ritualistic religiosity. Even when we strive to give careful consideration to the personal nature of our faith we still default, at least in my experience, to static information-gathering from God's word, and seeing things as simply an exercise in "following the rules".

First, a few statements to get the ball rolling:

God is real.

A simple short statement that many Christians will gladly stand behind. Do we, however, really buy it? Does this Reality actually mean anything significant to us? What do I, you, or we actually do with that truth which we claim to hold so dear? Do we just simply accept it as a true statement, or do we have a solid understanding for why we have landed on this statement of faith?

God is Father.

Another simple short statement that many, if not all, Christians accept. Father of whom, though? Is the idea of God as Father something easy for you to understand? How does your perception of Fatherhood shape your perceptions of God? Some of us just accept His Fatherhood. Others struggle to fathom His Divine Fatherhood, because they have had such a poor example of human fatherhood in their lives. What does His Fatherhood mean for us, and how can our lives be reshaped and blessed with overwhelming joy by His Fatherhood?

God is Son.

This is also a simple statement for most, but we fail to understand that there are some that profess to be Christian that do not see Jesus as Divine in the same way as God the Father. Is Jesus Divine? What does it mean for Him to be the "only begotten Son" of God? What distinguishes Jesus from other Saviors in mythologies or other world religions?

God is Holy Spirit.

This was a statement that I struggled with myself even though I simply accepted it for the longest time. I found myself not truly understanding the nature of Holy Spirit. Where does Holy Spirit fit in this picture of the Divine? How are we to understand Holy Spirit?  Is Holy Spirit He, or it? Is Holy Spirit just a way the Father moves or works? Is Holy Spirit a ghost, an ethereal apparition that just floats about?

I titled this blog "We Are...". If there is to be an understanding of "We Are...", then I think it would be worthwhile to examine the questions of the Divine. I hope that this is worthwhile to someone. At the very least I intend to ask questions, look for answers, and then share my findings here! Love, blessings, and prayers for all who read...and for those who don't!