Crisis of Faith: A Critical Diagnostic Assessment by Iesous

But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. They came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, Master, we perish.  Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.  And he said unto them, "Where is your faith?"  Luke 8:23-25


The disciples needed to know what the Iesous already knew about them collectively - they lacked substantive faith.  Yes, he could have talked to them about their lack of faith in Theos, and it would have been merely an intellectual discussion.

The Iesous chose a powerful teaching tool that would illustrate their lack of faith and the emptiness of mere discussion.  He took them out upon the Sea of Galilee.  This was a familiar experience to most, if not all of them.  This adventure, however, would be different because their perception of themselves and the Iesous would be challenged by an existential crisis.

They were collectively seized by the icy reality of impending death by drowning in an angry sea.  The howling wind forced upon them the recognition of its ability to break apart the boat and the waves of the sea hammered at the boat with a rhythmic insistence portending doom.

Fear won over them, through seemingly deadly and overwhelming circumstances.  The thin veil of mere talk fled their fear enslaved hearts.  The compelling situation demanded that they go to the sleeping One - the Iesous who is not alarmed by the situation.  He is at peace.  He is asleep on the steersman leather cushion.

They do not realize that the real threat to their lives is not outside of themselves but on the inside.  Their hearts lacked faith in Theos.  Notice that they reacted to their circumstances with 'fear and trembling.'  They did not have Tillich's 'Courage to Be.'

They were being pushed to the boundaries of themselves or to the edge of reason and beyond.  They needed to experience the pale unreality of reason and explanation to 'explain' or account for the intrinsic power of God in all things.

They called upon the sleeping Iesous to awake with a frenzied Master, Master we perish.  The immediate situation demanded brevity and economy of words.  Did the 'we perish' included the Iesous too?

The Iesous stood up and immediately arrested the perceived threat of the storm and then he confronted the storm within their hearts with compassionate diagnostic candor:  "Where is your faith?"

Here is a type of self-examination that we must all constantly undertake.  This is a spiritual self-examination that challenges us to a species of mindfulness that will require the humility that knows that without faith it is impossible to please God.

If you lack faith today you may ask Him to grant faith to you which is an anchor of the soul.

For more information about Dr. Josiah Rich and his teaching ministry, please visit his website.