I am not the best at following directions. There's some disconnect switch in my brain that flips whenever someone begins to give me directions, and when they conclude, I never know quite what to say next. I typically nod and carry on, hoping that I can fill in the gaps where I completely missed what was being communicated. So when I inevitably get lost, it's my own fault for failing to have followed the steps that were issued.
The disciples here did exactly what Jesus told them to do. They were with Jesus all the while, and they still ended up in a mortal danger in a ship in a storm at night. It was not because they strayed... but it is simply because life is dangerous, and Jesus does not promise to keep us safe from every peril. Jesus promises us that we will prevail over death in the end, but there will likely be suffering along the way, and there will be dark nights where it looks like life will not win out. Easter was days after Good Friday. From the very beginning, the church has had its share of tragedy, but we continue to believe that Jesus triumphs and that because of his triumph, we, too, will triumph.
What matters is what we believe about the last question asked here. Who then is this? It's a very similar question that Saul asks on the road to Damascus when he sees a light shining. "Who are you, Lord?" We should all ask the question... who is this man called Jesus? What do we believe about his identity and his historical reality? The answer to that question reverberates through eternity. It's the most important question we can ask in this life, and we ought not to neglect seeking the answer. Who are you, Jesus? How we answer that shapes everything -- if he is who he says that he is, then that would have implications on how we spend our time, our money, and all of our resources. If we believe that the Son of God, the Creator of the Universe, has come to express his love for us, and the importance of loving one another, then we should think seriously on that every day. It's far more important than some of the other things I contemplate every day. Who are you, Jesus? And how does that shape who I believe that I am?
