Prayer of the Day
O God of creation, eternal majesty, you preside over land and sea, sunshine and storm. By your strength pilot us, by your power preserve us, by your wisdom instruct us, and by your hand protect us, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen
Reading this and what I know about agnostics (which is a rather interesting word) it makes me think that God viewed Job and his comments, along with his three friends, as children who don’t know anything. This is really what agnostic means. You hear people state proudly that they’re agnostic, but don’t really realize what they’re saying. They’re proudly stating that they’re ignorant and think it’s a badge of honor. When would being ignorant be like that? I’ve always striven to reduce my own amount of stupidity (which is what it really is). I’ve also come to realize that the more I learn the more I need to learn. Now doubters could be considered better. Doubters are the ones that know, and are yet unsure.
Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32 (KJ21)
Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32 21st Century King James Version (KJ21)
107 O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
3 and gathered them out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters:
24 these see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep.
25 For He commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He bringeth them out of their distresses.
29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
30 Then are they glad because they are quiet; so He bringeth them unto their desired haven.
31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
32 Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders.
Instead of fighting, or just plain ignoring God we should actively work with him in the world. In the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America there’s a saying: “God’s work, our hands.” We are to be His hands in the world. Through Him we are to give a gentle hand to either the ones ravaged by earthquakes, or by senseless killings. We are to be there for kindness and support, not lash out like children in rebellion.
This passage in Mark harkens back to the Old Testament reading in Job. We fear nature, of course, especially when something like a tornado, hurricane, tsunami, or even earthquake happens. I would think we should fear, and respect even more the one that can control nature’s fury. Jesus proved that to his disciples on that fateful night when they went across the Sea of Galilee.
