Jesus In The Storm

I was in Destin, Florida some years ago when a Category 1 hurricane was headed our way. We were in a condo, right across from the beach. We had stayed there a few times, as it was owned by a member of our church. It was not an aesthetically beautiful building, but it looked like it would withstand a nuclear bomb. What it lacked in external beauty, it made up for by providing the secure feeling of being in a bunker. The inside was a different story—plush furnishings, a huge kitchen, and a balcony that went on forever with a charcoal grill. We were faced with a dilemma: should we leave or stay?

            

These days, about the worst thing for us to imagine when going to Florida is a hurricane coming and ruining our yearly trip to the Redneck Riviera. I mean, if you are from Memphis, you dream of this hallowed ground all year, and so, to get canceled because of a hurricane or have to leave once you get that is almost unbearable. I know this is a first world problem, yet I suspect you know what I am talking about. 

            

Anyway, back to my story, we debated whether to pack up and leave or stay, and my wife (who is a lot more cautious than I am) agreed that, since it was only a Category 1, we should be okay. So we, along with the other residents, sunk the pool furniture in the pool, secured the grill with bungy cords, and hunkered down to ride out the storm. I admit, I was sort of looking forward to it! There is a romance about a storm that brings a certain fascination—until you are in it and can't leave. Reality has a way of correcting fanciful notions.

            

When the lights go off and the roof starts leaving, you begin to wonder if the windows will blow in. Children are terrified and wonder why they didn’t get to choose wiser parents. It is a completely helpless feeling because there is literally nothing you can do. The real terror hit me when I opened the door, just to get a feel for the storm, and almost had the door ripped out of my hands. It was raining sideways and sounded like a freight train might come through the building any second. All I could think was when would it be over. Storms are terrifying!

            

That is where we find the disciples this week—in agony, fighting for their lives, rowing into the teeth of a storm. In the Bible, storms are both real and metaphorical—places where even the most resourceful and powerful are drained of self-sufficiency and find themselves totally helpless. Storms are also where we meet Jesus. We will talk about it this an