With Christ in a Crisis

Read: Mark 4:35-41.

The global crisis seems to spread even further and deeper claiming the lives of many thousands. The alarming death toll and the emotional, economic, and social shaking and the loss suffered are incalculable. It is evident that the expertise of the politicians, scientists, and health specialists and others are not making any immediate control or solution to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are in a crisis that carries to unknown levels and time frames.

We read in the Gospel of Mark about a life threatening crisis that occurred in a boat journey. The passengers and the sailors were the disciples of Jesus Christ from one shore to the other of the Sea of Galilee. What is noticeable in this journey is that Christ Himself was in the boat with the disciples.

Let us learn the following lessons from their experience and consider to conduct appropriately in a crisis.

1. Carry Him (Mark 4:36). “.. they took Him along in the boat as He was..”  In preparation for your journey, or before you venture out to do anything, make sure you carry the One Who is able to protect and provide for you and help you reach your goal. We do not know what the future holds, but Christ is All-knowing and can navigate you even through the crisis. The journey with Christ may not be smoother always, but you are guaranteed to reach the other side safe and well. Therefore, make sure Christ is in your boat, in your life. His presence will always make a difference.
2. Communicate to Him (Mark 4:38). “And they awoke Him and said to Him..” Carrying the Lord Jesus Christ in your boat in itself is a privilege and honor. However, keeping Him and not communicating to Him, conversing with Him and fellowshipping with Him is a matter of our active connection with him. A sleeping Jesus in a turbulent boat with waters filling in and the passengers in panic is not a healthy prospect. All of us have Bibles in our homes, but the real question is whether the Bible is inside of our hearts and minds? Conversation with the Author of life on a constant base is essential to keep us safe in times of crisis.
3. Call Him (Mark 4:38).  “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”. This must have been a call with a cry for help. This does not seem to be a casual call. It is a definite, loud, distressing, serious, panic-stricken call to the Master to save them from the crisis. The sound of the rushing wind and the roaring waves could have prevented Him from hearing their cries and call. But the Master Who has the whole world and the nature in His control would hear the desperate plea for help. Jesus cannot bypass the cry of the blind man, who said, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” (Luke 18:38). He will stop at our cry, and He will rise in our boat at our call-in desperation. But have you called Him sincerely and desperately and allowed Him to rise in your life and calm the storm and the crisis?
4. Commit to Him (Mark 4:39). “Then he arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ’Peace, be still’. Christ is able to calm the storm and crumble the crisis. The boat belongs to the disciples, but they are not in control of the nature that has become violent with windstorms and waves. They are caught up in the crisis and are helpless. It is a waste of time and effort and a risk of life itself trying to calm the storm by your skills and knowledge. Commit to Him “Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind” (Psalm 104:3). We must not endeavor to control the crisis with our human wisdom and skills only, but to call and commit to Christ Who can subdue all by the power of His Word. At His word, the wind ceased.
5. Conquer with Him (Mark 4:40-41). “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”. Now the disciples have a different perspective on Christ the “sleeping passenger” in the boat. He is the Lord over the powers of nature, and the Christ in every crisis. The victory over the life-threatening crisis by Christ gave the disciples a challenge and an opportunity in the future for the disciples to face any crisis. Jesus asked them “ Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”.    When Christ is active in you and with you, victory is always sure. Learn to walk with Christ even in this crisis of Corona.

God bless you.

Pastor Joe Kurian