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In the South we have a tendency to mutilate the English language.  For example, you will hear chimley for chimney, lieberry for library, ain’t for am not, Crimas for Christmas, foke for fork, it done come a flood for it is raining, stowe for store, and woe slap out for tired.  We can even make Roll Tide Roll sound like a washing machine:  not an “l” or “d” to be heard.  Rammer Jammer has no “r” at all.  I will not even discuss AU’s fight chant.   (You have to be from our great state to understand!)

Jesus knows your woe slap out!  He got tired too!  Too much to do, not much time to do it, and too many people clamoring for what they want, what they need, what they expect.  Jesus is, in fact, so tired He is sleeping through a monsoonal rainstorm on the sea of Galilee.  It is in fact so violent His fellow sailors are afraid the boat will sink and they will drown.  Matthew 8:23-25 records it this way:  “Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”  Mark 4:38 tells us He had His head on a cushion.  The English Standard Version says it was a “fierce” storm “breaking up the boat.”  But Jesus is asleep, and His slumber is very rudely interrupted.  He was not awakened by thunder, lightning, being doused with salty water, being bounced around in the waves or the cold;  he was awakened by frightened, screaming adults mad because He can sleep peacefully in the storm!    Yes, I know this feeling!  When life was seemingly crashing around us and the officer and gentleman was not in the least concerned that I was in a tizzy!  Let’s just say, I have something in common with Jesus disciples.

We are told Jesus woke up (I think reluctantly and on the wrong side of the boat.  Just sayin.).  Listen to His response to this motley crew:  “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?”   What has faith got to do with the boat sinking?  What has faith got to do with my world falling apart?  IT IS SINKING!  As a lifeguard, I am thinking, “What are you even doing in a boat if you cannot swim?”  But, then I remember the “waves are crashing.”  They had faith enough to wake Jesus’ sleeping self up.  Right?  They called on Jesus, right?  Isn’t that faith?  And Jesus is scolding them for being afraid?  Well, I am in deep trouble!   Sorry to disturb you Lord.  (Sarcasm is an art in my family, remember?)

Now I am really confused.  “He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”  (Matthew 8:26b)  Did He quiet the storm to shut them up, calm their fears, show His power, or all the above?  And if He was going to do that, why scold them?

Jesus is bone tired.  Ministry takes a lot out of you.  He is pouring Himself into the lives of many: Healing, teaching, preaching, casting out demons, and having to contend with the religious hypocrites.  The disciples have seen it ALL!  Isn’t this why they woke Jesus up?

“So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”  (Matthew 8:27)  AHHHHH, there it is!  Jesus knew they still did not get who He is.  This was His frustration.  It was not the fact they woke Him up (that would have been my reason for being testy).  It was they were “slow of heart” (Luke 24:25)  What does it take for us to believe Jesus is who He says He is?  Are we interested in Jesus, the Son of God or are we interested in what Jesus, the Son of God can DO for us?  The disciples got what they wanted:  Another miracle–the storm was quieted; their fears assuaged.  Yet, they are still asking: “who is this?”

This is what wearies Jesus!  This is the wringer of His energy stores and patience.

When my world was falling apart, the officer and gentleman slept like a baby!  I on the other hand spent all night long trying to help God solve the problems of the world and especially my world.  It left me fearful, anxious, exhausted and grumpy.  The officer and gentleman would then essentially say what Jesus said:  “O you don’t have faith.”  Uuuugggghhhhhhh!  What he really said is, “You need some sleep.”

He was correct!  I was looking for the hand of God to move not trusting in the heart of God.  I was interested in the here and now and getting out of this rocking boat that was falling apart despite the fact I was bailing water as fast as I could.  I was weary of the storm.  Jesus was/is wearied by me.   My lack of even a mustard seed of faith.

Jesus understands our physical tired.  He does not understand our spiritual denseness.  Jesus asked Peter, “who do YOU say that I am?”  (Matthew 16:15)  He asks us this question too.  Today, who do you say that Jesus is?  The answer is vital to your well-being!

Emotional, physical, spiritual, or psychological fatigue were all felt by our Savior.  He needed time to pray, relax, sleep, enjoy friends, and process the hard things of life just as we do.  He understands our weaknesses and is acquainted with our grief.  What a wonderful Savior!

https://youtu.be/L5bLvVjJ4MA

Praise You In the Storm by Casting Crowns

Meditate on the words and feel hope rise in the darkest storm.

Treading in the Waves with the Savior,

Yvonne

The officer and gentleman left this quote in his Bible as he fought the storm of full onslaught stage four terminal cancer:  “To those who believe no miracle is necessary.  To those who doubt no miracle is sufficient.”  This is truth!