The Loving Rebuke of Christ

I’m reading through the gospel of Mark these days and a particular section really stood out to me. In Chapter 4:35-41 Mark explains the account of Jesus and the disciples in their boats on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus, exhausted from ministering to the masses, falls asleep while a fierce storm rages and causes the disciples to panic. Jesus is woken up with accusing remarks from his closest friends that He is uncaring for the safety of their lives. After rebuking the wind and the waves, Jesus turns to rebuke His followers. “How can you be in such disbelief?” At first glance it appears Jesus is a bit harsh with these guys. Being that some of them were experienced fishermen, their reaction to the storm is telling. They honestly thought their lives were in jeopardy and were fearful of death. This was no small storm. They, however, forgot who was in the boat with them. They had been with Christ for some time now. They saw His power and ability to perform miraculous things. He was obviously no ordinary prophet. Yet the disciples still had trouble trusting Him.

I see myself here. Having walked with Jesus for a little while now I’ve seen Him do amazing things in my life and in the lives of those I love. Still, though, I can be found doubting His control of and care for my life and it doesn’t even take a life threatening nautical experience. Just give me a night that doesn’t go my way or an unexpected car repair and I can respond with, “Lord, don’t you care about what’s going on here?” That’s why I am grateful for this loving rebuke of Jesus in Mark’s gospel. I think the Scriptures show us that Jesus had plans to make something out of these men and that He wanted them to learn faith in the severest of trials. He was forming them into men who could glorify their Father in heaven by maintaining a trust in their God when all around them seemed to fail. The truth is, He’s still making men like that today.

As followers of Christ we need the loving discipline of our Savior. Hebrews tells us that God rebukes and disciplines those whom He receives as sons (see Heb. 12:3-13). It is a comfort to know that divine discipline is always done in love and it always achieves its purpose: righteous, Christ-like, God-glorifying lives. So, whether the boat’s filling up with water or the car needs another $500 repair, may we respond in faith and humbly cry out to Jesus: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Ps. 56:3).