Identifying Sinful Fears, Pt. 2: The Fear of Creation

Matthew’s Gospel challenges our assumptions about fearfulness. After a long day of ministry, Jesus and his disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee. Weary from the day, our Lord fell asleep in the boat’s bow. Then, a violent storm battered and threatened to destroy the vessel and its occupants. The disciples panicked, but Jesus remained asleep.

“Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” was the disciples’ cry (Matthew 8:25). Here’s where the story gets interesting. Jesus arose from his sleep, looked at the disciples, and said, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26). We could translate his response as, “Why are you cowards, O little faiths?”

Matthew contrasts the disciples’ response to the storm with Jesus’. The question we must wrestle with is, how could Jesus remain asleep when waves were crashing over the boat? Some would say it’s because of his divine nature. But, if that’s the answer, why did he need to sleep in the first place?

Jesus slept soundly in the storm because he trusted his Father perfectly. In his human nature, Jesus’ heart and mind understood and trusted God’s wisdom, power, and goodness. No external circumstance could disrupt it. Here, he is the picture of what you and I would be if sin were not corrupting our hearts. He is the image of Psalm 4, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).

God’s wisdom ordained the time and place of that storm. His power controlled and limited the storm’s intensity, the wave’s height, and the wind’s strength. God’s goodness directed the storm to his glory and the good of his people. Faith channels Christian fear so that God is its only object.

Christ demonstrated godly fear. He set his heart and mind upon the living God; even the death threat could not cause him to waver. The disciples, on the other hand, immediately feared the storm. They seemed to forget who formed and directed that storm. Jesus demonstrated godly fear, a whole-souled reverence for God. The disciples demonstrated sinful fear, believing they were subject to the storm, not God.

Unlike the Incarnate Christ, you won’t possess perfect godly fear in this life, but we must aim for it! A cancer diagnosis, an approaching hurricane, and predicted economic collapse all tempt to sinful fear. But, God has appointed these trials in life, so you might learn to fear him.

Dear Christian, when sinful fear arises in your heart, you must resist. You must set your heart on God above. He made the earth and everything in it. He is working all things out according to his purposes. Nothing is left to chance. Every trial in your life is a tutor, sent by God to train you to fear him only. As Jesus said, “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”