Immediate Word

The last few months have been chaotic ones -- both in Washington and around the world. There has been so much in the headlines that can leave us feeling pummeled, as if we were in the midst of a violent storm like that the disciples experienced in this week’s gospel lectionary text. Yet as team member Beth Herrinton-Hodge notes in in the next installment of The Immediate Word, there is much we can learn from that parallel since the ferocious seas can be viewed as a metaphor for chaos. The chaos of our world can seem overwhelming and leave us fearing for our safety -- the same feelings the disciples had as their boat began to sink. But Jesus calls Peter to come to him in the midst of that chaos. Peter steps out of the boat, but when he begins to feel swamped he pleads with Jesus to save him. Jesus chides Peter for his lack of faith -- a metaphor for Peter letting himself focus on the chaos rather than on Jesus, who offers a path above the chaos for the faithful. Needless to say, that's a message we need to hear today. As Beth reminds us, we need to have the courage to get out of the boat and confront the chaos, and to not let it overwhelm us as we seek solutions. Denial born of cognitive dissonance won't suffice -- that's akin to staying in a sinking boat. But if we keep our focus on Jesus and the values he teaches, we can have confidence that we will stay above the chaos. Yet it’s also important to remember that Jesus is not in the boat with us; he’s out in the chaos -- and we must have the courage and the faith to come to Jesus there, rather than merely seeking a safe station in the storm. Here’s a preview:


Faith in a Stormy Sea
by Beth Herrinton-Hodge
Matthew 14:22-33

Chaos: noun. complete disorder and confusion, disarray, disorganization, confusion, mayhem, bedlam, pandemonium, havoc, turmoil, tumult, commotion, disruption, upheaval, uproar, maelstrom; Behavior so unpredictable as to appear random, owing to great sensitivity to small changes in conditions; The formless matter supposed to have existed before the creation of the universe.

Storm: noun. A violent disturbance or the atmosphere with strong winds, usually rain, thunder, lightning, or snow; A tumultuous reaction, an uproar or controversy.

Both of these nouns describe the swirling, changing world we inhabit: political change; climate change; leadership change; policy change. Often, our response to change is to cling to what we know, to harken to the past, to resist what is new and changing around us. But holding, white-knuckled, to old ideas or to a battered ship leaves us ill-equipped to weather the storm.

When a hurricane approaches the coast, some vessels are put out to sea, unmoored from their docks. Moving out beyond the storm or around the storm is safer than attempting to batten down in a tight boat slip. Captains set their vessels’ coordinates on the low side or clean side of the hurricane, where winds are lower. They point the bow into the waves to plow directly through them safely. In this way, the waves have less power to capsize the vessel.

Similarly, Peter sets his sight on Jesus as he steps into the storm that threatens him and the disciples in their small boat. It’s when he looks down into the choppy waters that he is no longer safe.