34
Text: John Newton, 1779
Tune: Rachel Henkle, 2010
If you're wondering why you haven't seen any posts from me since Lent, it's mostly because we recently had our second kiddo, and while we are in love with our new little man, there is hardly a moment when I'm not holding, feeding, or changing him. It also doesn't help that my family and I have been through nearly every major life change there is in the last few months... death of grandparents, birth of a child, changing jobs, saying goodbye to dear friends, buying a house, moving out, moving in... At the end of most days I have about enough energy to crawl into bed and try to sleep before it's time to get up and feed the baby again. Tonight, somehow, both kids are asleep and I still have a little energy left to write a few words...
There's a hymn I have been thinking about the past several weeks. One of the stanzas refers to a story in Mark 4 where Jesus and the disciples are in a boat. A big storm comes up, and the disciples freak out. Oddly enough, Jesus is sleeping through the whole thing and when the disciples frantically wake him, he gets up and calms the storm by simply saying "Peace, be still." After this miracle, Jesus turns to the disciples and says "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?"
The hymn writer says that when we know Jesus is in our boat, so to speak, we can smile at any storm that arises. But the disciples certainly were not smiling at the storm - in fact they were likely scared to death. And through the changes we've been through the past few months, I have not been smiling the whole time either.
I remember in the weeks and months after our daughter was born, sitting up in the middle of the night in complete despair, sure that I would never sleep again. This time, though, I can look at my three year old who (usually) sleeps all night and know that this second kiddo will eventually get there as well. And last week as we drove away from the home and the people we've lived with and loved the past three years, I can recall how God has guided me through difficult transitions in the past and be sure that He will faithfully see us through this as well.
Every time I feel the anxiety rising these days, I picture Jesus looking at me saying "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" And on my good days, I can look back at him and say "I believe. Help my unbelief." (Mk 9:24)
So if you haven't been a regular reader, you can click on the link below and listen to my little rendition of today's hymn. As you listen, remember God's faithfulness to you in the past and allow that to encourage you in whatever storms you're facing right now.