"Thank God for Doppler Radar" - Mark 4:35-41 - June 25, 2000

Technology has really given us some amazing tools. For example, the internet has opened the pathway to endless resources of information. E-mail has enables us to communicate from one computer to another. GPS (Global satellite positioning) lets us know our exact position anywhere on the globe. One of my favorites is Doppler Radar. I like the advance warning of approaching storms. You don’t get caught off guard that way.

All of us like to know when a storm is coming. I appreciate the fact that I can turn on the weather channel and confirm that severe weather is in the area. That is particularly helpful if you have an outing planned in the out of doors. Advance warning systems save lives. When a hurricane is several days away people can be evacuated from coastal areas. Technology is helping us to track tornadoes and dangerous weather conditions such as snow and ice. Modern medicine has developed many systems too which can detect early signs of cancer or heart conditions.

No one likes to be caught off guard. God help the meteorologist that makes an mistake, however. We want to be safe and protected. We want assurance that we can withstand the forces and elements of nature which can bring disastrous results.

In Jesus’ day they didn’t have the technology that we have. They had to rely on experience and common sense. They were very vulnerable to storms. Times may have been far more simpler but they weren’t exempt from stormy conditions. The disciples were out on the lake and got caught in a storm. They had no early warning system. The wind became stronger and water began to pour into the boat. Jesus was sleeping in the stern of the boat so they woke him. Because of their dangerous situation they said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"

When we are caught in a storm does that mean God doesn’t care? Jesus was in the boat with the disciples but they accused him of being indifferent. Isn’t that what we do to God all the time? When we find ourselves in the midst of a storm we wonder why God doesn’t rescue us.

Obviously God cares since Jesus quieted the storm. "Peace! Be still!" he said, and the storm ceased. Not only did it cease, there was a dead calm.

Early last week I was commenting to my secretary how quiet it had been in the life of the church. As the week progressed things changed. I had to attend to a man dying in the hospital. There were non-scheduled counseling sessions. The phone didn’t stop ringing. It seemed as though that every time I went to work on my sermon, there was an interruption. In addition there were in fact thunder storms that kept popping up in the afternoons and evenings. Looking back I can now say to myself, that I survived. God was there for me all the way through, although at times it seemed God was alseep.

As good as our technology may be it can’t detect all the storms we will encounter. This story illustrates the fact that storms are a part of life. Just because Jesus was in the boat with the disciples, didn’t make them immune from turbulent conditions. On the other hand that is the good news, Jesus is in the boat and God is in our boat!

This is a story about the assurance of God. God is always with us, no matter how severe the forces are against us. The story graphically describes a "sinking" situation for the disciples who are afraid of perishing. " A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped." Mark purposely described a situation that was filled with tension, conflict and uncontrollable forces.

When asked to intervene, Jesus accommodated the disciples by bringing calm to a desperate situation. We always want God to intervene when we find ourselves in trouble. God did here, but the disciples did not acknowledge it. Rather than be grateful, rather than humble themselves in the midst of God’s presence, they questioned Jesus’ power. "Who is this?" they said.

Unfortunately they did not know. Jesus, Son of God, savior of the world, the Good Shepherd was in their boat but they did not know him.

For me, this clearly describes faithlessness. God is always with us, intervening, acting on our behalf, but we don’t believe it. We don’t trust in the presence of God because God acts in ways that are beyond our comprehension. Just as Jesus quieted the storm that day by bringing absolute peace, God can quiet any storm we face and intervene with a power that is simply unexplainable and completely unimaginable.

"Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?" Thank God for Doppler Radar. Thank God for an everlasting presence who is always with us day and night, in every storm we face. Praise be to an awesome, powerful God who is always in our boat.

Dr.Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio