Lord Don't You Care?

Mark 4:35-41

Haven’t we all felt this same way at some point? “Lord, I’m drowning here! Don’t you care? I feel like I’m going under with …(fill in the blank). Can’t you do something?”

“My marriage is falling apart, I can’t seem to reach my rebellious child bent on destruction, the unexpected diagnosis is overwhelming, there isn’t enough money to pay this month’s bills, the car is on it’s last leg, I can’t deal with the stress from my job, the demands of this relationship are more than I can handle, I can’t seem to shake this heavy cloud of darkness engulfing me … Lord, don’t you care?” Maybe we’ve not dared voice these accusations to the Lord audibly but haven’t we all shouted this from the depths of our souls at one time or another while going through some terrible life storm? “Lord, don’t you care?”

As I was reading this familiar passage once again in Mark’s gospel, it was evident that the disciples were filled with fear while in the middle of a huge storm on the Sea of Galilee … so much so that they thought they were going to “perish”. Remember, several of these disciples were seasoned fishermen accustomed to weathering these turbulent waters, yet they feared for their lives. In desperation and utter helplessness, they woke the Lord who “was in the stern, asleep on the cushion” and blurted out, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 

Mark records that prior to getting into the boat, Jesus had just told them, “Let us go across to the other side.” He wanted to get them to a new destination. As they launched off from the safety of the shore to head to “the other side” where the Lord had directed, that’s when the unexpected storm hit. Unexpected to the disciples, that is. But in the midst of the storm, they experienced the Lord in a way they had never seen him before. As Christ stilled the waves and the water with his very words, the disciples were in awe. “Who is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?” they marveled. They had never experienced the Lord in this way before. Jesus had chosen to reveal his power, glory and authority over nature in the midst of the storm. 

Oftentimes when Jesus wants to take us “to the other side” … to a new place of deeper understanding or new area of service, he will allow us to go through the storm. And in the middle of our storms, he wants to reveal himself in ways we have never experienced him before. He wants to take us from the theoretical and what we know of him in our heads to the experiential … to get us to the other side and know his power and glory firsthand … to know and trust he will take us through the situations in which we feel helpless, hopeless and out of control … to bring us to a place where we are completely in awe as we see him for who he is and worship!

Just as Christ was right there with the disciples in the boat, tossed around by the sea, so he is with us in the middle of our life’s storms.

I couldn’t help but see in this passage that Christ not only rebuked the wind and the waves but he also rebuked the disciples. “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” Christ not only addressed the “fruit” which was their fear but he also pointed to the “root”, their unbelief. They did not trust the Lord with their safety! They panicked and their fear revealed what was going on in their hearts. They voiced the lie they were believing … “Lord, don’t you care?”

There it is again, the same ole’ tactic of the enemy to undermine the character of God and get us to believe the lie that God is not good, that he doesn’t care about my suffering, my hardships and my disappointments.

Just like the disciples, I can sometimes find myself in a place of accusation in my heart against the Lord. Yet, the truth is, I’ve seen over and over in my own life that he does care.  Of course, he cares! He cares in his words:

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Pt. 5:6-7)

But his care is more than just words. It was also demonstrated:

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8)

And …his care continues each and every day:

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Ps. 34:18)“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” Ps. 46:1-3)“Blessed be the LORD, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.” (Ps. 68:19)

Father, bring me to a place in my life storms where I see you in ways I’ve never experienced before … where I know your glory firsthand, and marvel at your majesty, authority and greatness. Lord, turn my lack of faith into a greater awe of who you are. Father, help me to stand amazed at what you reveal of yourself as I follow you “to the other side” through the unexpected storms that life brings. And let that awe move me to a place of utter trust and confidence that you truly do care.