Hope Floats

Before Jesus and his disciples got in the boat to cross to the other side; they were interrupted by two potential candidates to be His followers. The first was a Pharisee who told Christ that he will follow Him “wherever you go.” To which Jesus replied "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

This response was to let him know that it wasn’t going to be comfortable, easy, consistent or materially secure existence. Being a Pharisee was perhaps the most secure existence one could have in Jerusalem: you can’t argue with respect, influence, education, steady income and provision. People aren’t going to stop sinning and they were there to atone for them and legislate morality. Even Pilate and Herod were not as secure as the Pharisees, they were hated as symbols of oppression and had to beware the political schemes and machinations of the empire, rivals and even their own family members.

The other man, who also wanted to follow Christ but then first bury his father, was given a similar seemingly discomforting reply. The gospel does not make it clear whether either man got onto the boat with Christ, but when he and his disciples do set off, they are caught in a storm comes that has the power to sink the boat.

I think the order of events is significant here because we see the two biggest barriers to following Christ – trepidation and tribulation. Trepidation – the initial hesitance to leave behind, or make less important, the comfort and obligations of this life. Can we truly say that we count everything we take joy and pride in as “rubbish” as Paul states for the sake of knowing Christ? Those who approached Christ were used to “the things of the world,” and while that does not condemn them, Jesus warns them that in following him, he expects their priorities to be radically changed. So what can we let go of that impedes

Then there is the tribulation. When we actually get on the boat and go into open sea we can be coasting along fine but easily fall victim and feel exposed to unexpected storms. The storm came up as unexpectedly on the disciples as sea as it did those on shore. Yet, while it was seemingly much more dangerous to the disciples to at sea, they forgot that they were in the presence one that could silence the wind and waves with a word.

Like the disciples, and like the prophets and kings and men and women of God before them, we can look about frantically for where Christ is and wonder if he even cares that we are about to drown. David many times laments the lack of the presence of God. Moses and Elijah both poured out their frustration and bewilderment at their bad fortune and apparent abandonment. However, what did all those people do when they were at their wits end? They took it to God, albeit in self-justified anger, frustration, confusion and grief.

David wept and vented, Abraham sighed, Moses complained, Elijah whined and the disciples exasperated “do you not care that we are about to drown?”

Is there value in us being at our wits end and seeking God? I think God wants that frustration from us at times because it shows that we actually value the relationship. I think about all the people I’ve felt true disappointment in – those people were definitely closer than acquaintances. I don't want to make it sound as base as God wants to rile us up, but he wants to show us consistently that he is present, and that his will is as good as it is mysterious. However, ultimately it allows him to show us that he has infinite wisdom, and our best in mind. It may take us time after the fact to fully grasp that - be we have ample time as we are delivered and on dry land again on the other side of the sea, following Him to what lies ahead.

God bless