13 Aug SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2023

Hearing the sound of sheer silence. It’s one of my favorite things to briefly hear in the midst of confusion, chaos, or trouble. Here’s an example from our own lives that might enable us to relate to Elijah as a persecuted prophet.

Did you ever drive through hard downpouring rain or snow that falls so heavily, it’s blinding? Did you ever feel exhausted by some kind of work or responsibility that required your full and continuous concentration? At such times as these, we can take comfort in the fact that even motors and machine parts like windshield wipers can’t handle the veritable deluge of incoming stimuli, even while working hard at full speed thrust. 

Like Elijah hiding in a cave, that’s when I love to drive under an overpass and experience a brief pause from being bombarded. Momentarily, the overpass blocks out the downpour, the noise, the pounding water, creating a few seconds of bliss. In anticipation, while still a few car lengths away, I take a deep breath and wait for the sound of silence. Without the force of water pummeling my windshield and senses, I get to drive for just a moment on dry pavement, to see clearly and hear nothing. 

After great winds, an earthquake, and then fire, Elijah’s ears welcomed sheer silence. He would have breathed a sigh of relief and been ready to listen to what came next: the sound of God’s voice, the word of the Lord speaking to him. After witnessing the execution of many prophets and escaping the worst fate himself, Elijah was clearly suffering from PTSD. As a survivor of trauma consumed by fear, he was in hiding: unsure of what to do next, how it would be possible to go on, or even continue living.

With wisdom and compassion, God listens to Elijah recount what has happened. He’s not expected to keep silent or hold onto the tragedy he’s experienced firsthand. God gives him needed time and space. God allows Elijah, a tired and wounded soldier in the war on evil, to express his fears and misgivings, to tell his story in its entirety. 

Being afforded this human courtesy is an important prerequisite to future goals and whatever comes next. Only then, does God give Elijah new information that serves to reassure him. Only then, does Elijah have the capacity to receive instruction and take on new assigned duties. Only then, is he fully capable of engaging in a new possibility. 

In like manner, Jesus instructs his disciples to get in a boat and head to the other side of the sea. He knows they are capable of doing as asked. Based on archeological remains found in Galilee of a 2,000 year old fishing boat, the boat they got in would have been about 26.5 feet long, 7.5 ft, wide, 4.5 ft. high, and large enough to hold about 15 adults.

At this time and in this particular narrative, the disciples have been instructed to go elsewhere. This time, the crowds have NOT been invited to remain for dinner, but are dismissed. Note a familiar pattern of movement: the disciples and many people coming together either precedes or is followed by Jesus separating himself apart. Between the various movements, time passes, enough time for something to brew and come to a head. This is classic storytelling at its best. 

By this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from land, for the wind was against them. Remember the Sea of Galilee is huge. At almost 700 ft. below sea level, 13 miles long, and 8 miles wide, with the wind against you, a boat could easily be pushed out far and become out of sight.

Wind is welcome when it works in your favor. While working against you, wind becomes not only unpleasant, but oppressive, even mean. It wears you down, beats you up, becomes exhausting and unbearable.

 Do you see how the disciples may have felt in these circumstances? Perhaps by this time, they were traumatized, like Elijah was. Why had they been separated from Jesus now? What was his plan or purpose for sending them out in a boat by themselves, alone while he went elsewhere? Something must be wrong. An entire night has passed. They don’t know where they are on the sea. No wonder they are terrified when morning comes and they see what appears as a ghost. 

Confidence is so easily lost when things don’t go as planned or we don’t understand what’s happening or why, can’t see into the future, or haven’t been told what to expect. I understand the mindframe of Elijah and the disciples all too well. 

Do you, as well? When have you felt less than certain about what’s going on? Have you ever felt terrified after witnessing great loss? What about the anxiety of being deprived of security due to unemployment, or the difficulty of functioning normally because you’ve been deprived of sleep or something else?

While in this state, Jesus walks toward the disciples on the sea. They cry out in fear and exclaim what their eyes see. By doing so, they demonstrate perfectly how to pray: Speak of what you experience, of what you feel. Describe exactly what your senses are picking up. Do this, and you pray in such a way that immediately, immediately Jesus responds by saying, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” 

This is what a wise compassionate God does. A wise compassionate God speaks to us in silence when we are most able and apt to listen, not necessarily in the moment when we are completely overwhelmed and traumatized, but when we are most able and apt to listen. 

I have to wonder, “Was Peter listening?” He probably was, in about the same way many of us do: with suspicion and doubt, asking for proof. “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Peter always was one to try and prove himself, who often spoke before thinking, or should I say frequently processed his thoughts by speaking aloud. He was passionate and brave nonetheless, wanting to be the first one to meet Jesus that morning and test whether walking on water was really a thing.

“Was Peter listening?” He probably was, in about the same way many of us do: with suspicion and doubt, asking for proof.

His motives weren’t necessarily suspect. Peter may have been thinking, “Jesus, give me the chance to show the other disciples that it’s really you, so all of us will be put at ease. Help us trust what we know through personal experience and in our hearts about you rather than be deceived by our eyes and fearful emotions after a long night at sea.” When Jesus said, “Come,” Peter got out of the boat. That’s what most people remember most about this gospel story. 

Had Paul been present, he may have reminded Peter of what Moses wrote,  “Righteousness that comes from faith instructs us to not say in our hearts, ‘Who will voluntarily approach Jesus in order to bring him or ourselves closer to where he is?’” But Jesus did, in fact, bid him, “Come.” In a way, Peter proved that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved,” since we know he would have drowned once panic set in.

In this case, stepping out in faith may have preceded Peter’s belief. Sometimes an appropriate response to confusion does involve action that begins even before we are sure of what’s happening. Sometimes we must make a move or take a stance before we’re able to believe in our hearts that God can and will do whatever it takes to convince us and relieve doubt. 

It’s worth noting also, that it was the Lord who made the effort to join his disciples. He was already aware that they needed his presence there among them. This story, like others, proves that Jesus’ orientation is to maintain a healthy balance. He gives us permission to care for ourselves by setting boundaries as needed. He was self-aware and able to separate or connect as needed, never failing to care.   

All of today’s readings prove that God is generous and willing to meet scared exhausted individuals wherever they are. The Lord will come to find us (or them) whether we (or they) are in hiding while experiencing distress or out in the open, whether we (or they) are swirling with fear due to cumulative stress or merely in some new precarious circumstance or trial. Note that in every case, it is NOT up to us (or them) to find God. 

Elijah and Peter also teach us what confession really is: taking note of what forces are in the atmosphere, acknowledging how those forces impact and influence us, admitting to our inability to withstand them, asking God to have compassion and mercy after doing an honest assessment or attempting to “problem solve” on our own.   

Fear is meant to cause us to call upon the Lord and say, “Lord, help me. Lord, save me. Lord, forgive me.” In that moment, we don’t say, “If it is you, Lord, help me. If it is you, Lord, save me. If it is you, Lord, forgive me.” 

Immediately, Jesus reaches out and catches the one who calls out. As an author, Matthew does seek to admonish both Peter and the person reading his gospel account of what happened for doubting in the moment. He does equate having little faith with doubting. 

What I love about the gospel is how God in the form of Jesus never stops seeking people of little faith. God in the form of Jesus never stops trying to convince people who he is and what he is capable/willing to do for them to trust and believe.

When we experience a frightful circumstance, let us be encouraged by prophets and disciples who once came close to losing heart and getting lost. I wonder if we can repeat what the disciples said when Jesus entered the fishing boat still grasping hold of Peter’s hand. Can we offer to worship him again by saying together, “Truly you are the Son of God?” You can say it silently, or out loud, but I encourage you to say it.

Most people know what causes them fear or makes them feel afraid. For most of us fear comes with a feeling of vulnerability. Elijah’s very life was threatened. The disciples experienced anxiety over being separated from the main person they chose to be with, the person who made them feel secure, even fulfilled, one who seemed to always have answers when things got scary. Many of us hide fear and vulnerability out of fear of appearing vulnerable or in need. The Bible tries to tell us it’s okay to share these feelings with God and each other.

In fact, when Jesus left the earth, he sent the Holy Spirit to be with us always: to guide us from within, to lead us from without, so we would never be without someone to reassure us. To reassure means to remove doubt or fear, to comfort and put an end to worry. It often involves doing something different so our perspective can change. Let us pray. 

Dear Lord, you not only say, “Do not to be afraid,” but you remove doubt, provide comfort and put an end to worry. Help our perspective change as needed. Challenge and strengthen our faith, make us ever more confident, but humble, wise, but not arrogant, open, but not gullible, better able to trust, believe, and hear your voice always.  In your holy name we pray, Amen.