Is God Asleep?

Standing outside the doctor’s office door, my heart tore to pieces as the screams of my, then, two-month-old daughter filled the hallway. Unable to stand it any longer I rushed into the small office. There she was on her Daddy’s lap. My husband had the tough job of holding her while a nurse gave one shot after another. For the first time in her life she was being introduced to unexplainable pain.

I walked over and touched her face, when she looked up at me, I could see relief fill her eyes as she recognized me. The screams started again as the nurse did another injection.

I cried while she suffered, but knew that it would be worse if I interfered. She had no way to comprehend why her Daddy and I were allowing this to happen. She couldn't comprehend that the injection, causing her confusion and extreme discomfort, were meant to protect her from far greater suffering than what she was experiencing at the moment.

With no way to explain all of this to her, I waited for the first opportunity to hold her to bring her comfort.

As much as we hated it, we had to allow this into her life and she had to walk through it. We stayed with her for support and comfort.

Many times in my life I have looked to Jesus wanting relief, but instead I’ve had to walk through the pain or trial.

In the book of Luke, chapter 8, Jesus and the disciples are in a boat going to the other side of the lake. While they sailed, Jesus went to sleep. It says, “a great squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.”

The disciples went to Jesus and woke him up, saying they were going to drown. Jesus stood up from his sleep and rebuked the wind and raging waters. The storm subsided and all was calm.

Then Jesus asked his disciples, “Where is your faith?”

I thought, their faith motivated them to run to Jesus, but obviously there is more to it, or Jesus wouldn’t have said that to them.

I think the faith action, would’ve been if they had realized, if Jesus is asleep and not bothered by the storm, they were going to be okay. Otherwise, he would’ve gotten up and quieted the storm without them having to wake him up. I believe He knew they were okay and were going to make it to the other side. It just looked very scary.

That’s how it is in life sometimes. It looks scary, but I’m going to be okay. If Jesus isn’t doing something to run to my aid, it’s because He knows I’m okay. And when He comes in and takes care of it, well then He needed to take care of it.

How nice it would be to just rest and trust in the fact that He will do what is needed when it is needed.

Comments

Janalyn Voigt said…
And, as with an injection, when we twist and fight, we risk injuring ourselves.
June 25, 2011 at 10:04 PM
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