Run Forrest, Run!

FYI: This week’s post is extra fun in the audio format!

Here’s a popular catchphrase from my childhood.

My momma always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.

That’s right. Good old’ Forrest Gump. I remember sitting in the theater seeing that movie and thoroughly enjoying it even though most of the historical significance was lost on my grade school understanding of American history. One scene has always stayed with me. It’s the scene where Lt. Dan is strapped to the top of Forrests’ boat, The Jenny. Lt. Dan fearlessly mocks the winds and rain of Hurricane Carmen as Forrest grips onto the wheel of their boat. Forrest recalls that he was indeed scared. But not Lt. Dan. he was mad.

This week I read a Bible story where Jesus calms a storm.

Matthew 8:23–27
And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

The scene from Forrest Gump opens with two failed fishermen. Forrest’s only catch that day had been an old shoe, a rusty helmet, and conch shell.  Forrest points out the obvious by saying, “No shrimp.” Lt. Dan then asks, “Where’s this God of yours?” Forrest goes on to narrate,

It’s funny Lt. Dan said that ‘cause right then God showed up.

This all happened right before these two men were thrown into the middle of the storm.

This bible story takes place on a boat with fishermen who are at the mercy of a fierce storm. And just like Forrest, these first-century fishermen were terrified. They were certain they were about to end up in Davey Jones’ Locker. And in both stories, God shows up.

As I was reflecting on this Bible story a few ideas came to mind that I’d like to share with you.

Sometimes following Jesus leads us into a storm.

This Bible story begins with “And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.” I sat with this sentence for a while this week. The story doesn’t say that the men were out working and then, bam, a storm came out of nowhere. No, they followed Jesus into the boat. They were with their rabbi. They trusted this man. They had left everything behind to follow this man. They had, to some extent, already demonstrated their trust in this man. Only to find themselves being swamped by waves.

This got me thinking about Christianity in the western world. We often hear about a God who is safe. A God who won’t let anything bad happen to us. Many churches have taught us that if we have enough faith God will prosper us up and to the right in the social pecking order. Christian radio is safe for the whole family. But that is not the God I read about in the pages of Scripture. As I read through the pages of Scripture, I see people who are trying to faithfully follow God get punched in the face by the harshness of life again and again. As finite beings, we have spent much of history trying to theologize our way around how a loving God can allow so much suffering in this world. That is the question, and I am not going to try to add to that conversation here. But, I wonder if all our theologizing has been used as a distraction because we are afraid to be honest with God. That leads me to my second observation.

I feel like Jesus takes too many naps.

Where is Jesus during this storm? Asleep. His disciples are waiting for their impending death and their rabbi is getting some shut-eye. If I was on that boat I would have been pissed. Really Jesus?! You’re taking a nap?!

Can I be honest? I feel like Jesus takes too many naps. As the metaphorical storms of my life swirl around me, I find myself looking around for Jesus. Where is he? Is he sleeping again? Is this the storm that is going to sink my boat? On a theological level, I know that God has not and will not forsake me. But at times my theology seems to go against my experience. And that is ok. Go read the Psalms. The Psalms give us language to name the brokenness of our human experience. The Psalms give us permission to cry out, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” As I cry out to God I am led to my final thought.

 I have a weak faith.

I’d like to be Lt. Dan. Staring down the storms of this life. Cursing and mocking the winds and rains. But I am not Lt. Dan. I am more like Forrest. I am more like the disciples. I am often scared. I am often overwhelmed with the uncertainty of life.

The disciples’ cries must have cut through the howling wind of the storm because Jesus finally awoke only ask his disciples this question, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” If I were on that boat I would have been like, “Oh, I’ll tell you why I am afraid. Look around, Jesus!” But Jesus doesn’t give them time to answer his question. Jesus opens his mouth and rebukes the storm and suddenly all is calm. I imagine that is the moment the disciples realized that their faith was little. They didn’t snap back and ask why Jesus was taking a nap. They didn’t try to justify their fears. They responded by saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

At that moment they had realized that God had shown up. Not even that God had shown up, but that God was with them the entire time. Even when Jesus was sleeping, he was with them. When they thought they were going to die, Jesus was with them. When their faith was small and brittle, Jesus was with them.

I don’t know why God allows us to encounter so many storms in this life. Most of my storms seem like a spring shower compared to some of the storms y’all have weathered. What I am about to say next might sound like a Christian platitude. But as I have had the privilege to sit with people who have weathered horrendous storms where nothing in their life seemed to survive the gale force winds of the brokenness of this world, I can say with confidence that Jesus is in their boat. Sure, your faith may be small. But it’s not about the strength of your faith. It’s about the object of your faith. It’s about the one who is in the boat with you.

So, I encourage you to cry out to God. Try to wake him up if it seems like he is taking a nap. Be honest about your doubts and fears. May the little faith you have allow you to see that Jesus is in the boat with you. I can’t promise that your current storm will relent this side of eternity. I can’t promise that if this storm does pass you’ll have a huge haul of shrimp like Forrest and Lt. Dan did. But I can point you to Jesus. Not just the Jesus who calmed the sea of Galilee. Let me point you to Jesus who promises to calm every storm of life when he returns to make all things new. And that is why always end each time together with…

Grace and peace ‘til we rise in glory.