With God, Nothing Is Impossible! Part 1
I realized that my last few entries have been very faith driven. Well I guess the reason for this reflects the situation that I am in ; a situation where you feel you have done your best, you have given your everything and yet things are just so hard for you. All around you, Giants are trying to devour you and bring down your spirits. I had the opportunity to watch a very powerful movie called Facing the Giants during my commute rides to work and back. The movie for me was quite apt and it really inspired me to dig deeper ; first to remember those moments where God really delivered me when all seems impossible. Yes I have had those moments in my life!
The problem with that, as what I wrote in my last entry on Peter and his doubting faith despite seeing the Master perform miracles in front of him, is that like Peter, I too sometimes doubt. It isn’t that I don’t love God or anything like that. Rather, the question “Can I really be sure God will deliver me?” tends to often loom into my mind.
Which brings me to my 2nd reflective point : You don’t give up on a God that Does Not Give up on you! While I know this deep in my heart, too often the howling winds and the treacherous weather clouds my firm trust in my God. But that’s the whole point of building faith and trusting in God isn’t it? So that during stormy seasons, we can lean on him and see His glory unfold.
And so I guess I would consider the next few entries that I am gonna write over the next few days as sorta of a “taking-stock” of God’s wonderful blessing on my mind. I find that I do get much strength when I am reminded of God’s saving grace in my life. Just as how God had spoken to the Israelites, reminding them that He delivered them from Egypt and that He is their God and for them to trust in Him, in a way writing all this down is somewhat similar. It’s to remind myself of what God has done and what more He can do in my life.
The boat and the storm
He had commanded them to take a boat and to meet Him at the other end of the lake. It was late at night already, isn't it dangerous to take the boat out at the middle of the night like this? One of them looked up in the sky "it's gonna rain soon... what is the Master thinking" he must have practically thought in his mind. And yet they obeyed their Master and went out in the boat.
From a distance he watch them. He knew what were in their hearts. He could hear their doubts, their confusion, their perplexity. He could hear their worries and their concerns. He could sense their apprehension and their fear. He too looked up in the sky. Dark clouds were coming. He knew what was ahead of them. He did nothing. He just continued to watch...
The dark clouds soon turned into rain. With it came howling winds which pushed the currents of the water. Waves began forming and soon. the boat was out of control. All 12 of them were terrified. Even though they were men of the seas, experts in their own trades, having braved though many stormy weathers in the past, this one in particular frightened them. "I knew this was a bad bad idea!!" exclaimed the one earlier who was looking up at the dark clouds and weighing in on the Master's decision to make them take the boat. Wouldn't it have been more practical to walk by the shore and stay dry in the mainland?
The doubting apostle's thoughts came back to the boat. He too was becoming worried. Looking around his other 11 companions didn't help. All of them were terrified. 'This was a BAD idea' was all he could think of. 'I should have done something about it' he thought in his heart as he and the rest tried their best to steady themselves in the boat amidst the rough seas.
The Master knew this was the time to react. He studied their hearts again. What were they thinking? As he scanned through their hearts, he saw more fear, more worry, more anxiety. They were terrified. And he caught some of them thinking "where is the Master? Why has he abandoned us?" He knew he had to react now. And so he made that step on the water.
"Its a ghost!" they shirked when they saw a white figure walking towards them. They would have probably heard such tales during their fisherman carers. Superstitious tales of not staying out late at night fishing or being near water in the middle of the night. They were terrified. It was bad enough the storm was rough, now a ghost?
"Do not fear, for it is I" the Master assures them. He knew what they were thinking. He knew how scared they were. And he also knew they needed hope to get by this storm.
"If it's you Master, let me come to you!" cried out the Leader of the 12. 'ARE YOU CRAZY' remarked one of them. 'Don't be a hero man' the doubting apostle thought. 'Its bad enough we are out here, and there's a ghost in front, and now our Leader is gonna get himself killed?' he continued thinking. Then panic ensued. "QUICK, SOMEONE GET PETROS BACK!"
But Petros, taking that leap of faith, defining the impossible, at his Master's invitation began walking towards Him. Mind body and soul focused on his Master. He could probably feel the icy waters brushing against his heel and the chilly winds freezing his body. He tried to focus on his Master but within a matter of just seconds having made just 8 steps, he began to lose his balance. The winds were too strong, the waters too violent, the sky too dark. He was sinking. First the waters reached his ankles, then slowly the waters began to reach his naval. He was sinking...fast! LORD HELP ME!
At once the hand came and courageously pulled out PETROS out of the water. "Oh ye of little faith, why did you doubt me?" the Master asked Petros aloud as he pulled him back to the boat. Petros, having witnessed the glory and splendour and power of God was dumbfounded.
Why did he doubt? Had he not seen miracles that his Master performed? Had his Master not healed so many people around him, including his own relative? Or was it because, Petros, having seen all of these miracles, just could not fully and completely trust his Master?
Saving faith
I often find it quite interesting whenever people often remark or comment that the God of the Old Testament is very different from the God of the New Testament. This dicthotomy is known as Marcionism and it was condemned as a heresy in the early formation of the church's life.
I was just pondering today on today's readings where God invites all to participate in his salvation plan. I'm not going to qoute scripture and all that here but I do want to take a moment to just reflect on today's reading. God's plan for salvation is for all.
I had to admit it did get me thinking for a while as I was sitting down in the pew. I was hoping the priest would shed some light into the gospel reading but sadly that wasn't the case as he was talking on something else. Anyway that didn't deter me from thinking about it during the "homily".
The aspect it got me thinking was more along the lines of me being a sinner and unworthy of God's favour. Over the last couple of months, though it has been tough on me, God's grace and favour has been upon me. Despite my shortcomings and my failures to live the Christian life, God has been very merciful and generous to this rut. Sometimes I do feel that I am unworthy of God's grace. Afterall aren't we thought that as we reap so we sow? I mean isn't that how we treat our relationships with friends around us? I scratch your back. you scratch mine?
And yet, God, who is known to be all good and all knowing, in his great mercy and generousity grants us blessings, despite us failing to earn it. Despite our empty promises to God, our failed resolutions to be a better son or daughter to God, God in his infiite love is still able to bless us. People often admire those who have big hearts and are able to give lovingly and freely to help others. I think the one who has the biggest heart is God. Cuz despite of our reapeated shortcomings, God is still able to look past our mistakes and come to our aid (Psalm 91). As the foreign woman (Cannanite) begged Jesus repeatedly to heal her daughter, Jesus, moved by compassion and her faith, eventually gave in. Jesus could have easily ignored her. He could have just refused to listen. But the woman's persistant cry and her humility is what saved her daughter's life. (Read Matthew 15)
How many of us are like that? We all have our needs, and we do bring it to God, but how many of us are humble enough to approach our Lord like the foreign Cannanite did? From this gospel's reading, it tells us that our God is one that is full of compassion. Even if we don't deserve it rightfully, God is able to look beyond our justification and reasoning and still bless us by listening to our prayers.
But that doesn't mean we are then allowed to just fall back to our old ways. Miracles are always preceded with conversion. When God touches our lives, how do we respond to Him? Do we just thank Him and revert to our old habits? Or is there a conversion in our hearts. A desire to follow Him because of what He did to us?
