Do I Trust THE Expert?
Amy K
In today’s climate, there is so much noise, so many opinions, so many truths on SO many topics. From health advice to geopolitics, from mental health to the climate, it seems like everyone has an opinion about everything. And those opinions are placed in our faces all the time, through our phones, books and magazines, TV shows, news and even movies. In a post-modern culture, truth seems to be ever shifting and ever changing. Solutions, causes, and predictions change wildly from breakfast to lunch. In a world full of chaos and noise, who do we turn to? Whom do we trust? Where do we find Truth? Whose Truth is final and do we Trust the author of it? As believers in Christ we are called to have a Biblical Worldview. But what is that and how do we have it?
A biblical worldview is the lens in which we look at the world and interact with it with the knowledge and belief that the Bible is the ultimate authority. With a biblical worldview we see all of creation to current events through the metanarrative of the bible: Creation, the Fall, Redemption and ultimate Restoration. Through this lens we know that God is the author of life and our actions should follow how we interact with our world around us. But many times our actions do not follow our biblical worldview. Too often our own sin gets in the way. Many times I find when I act in sin that the root of it is a lack of trust in what God says is true and His promises.
In Matthew 14:22–33, Jesus had just done this amazing miracle of feeding the 5000 with 5 fish and two loaves of bread. Jesus sent his disciples ahead in a boat across the Sea of Galilee while he went up a mountain to pray alone. During the night, a heavy storm arose, and the "boat by this time was a long way[ from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them."(vs 24) Jesus comes to them in the midst of the storm, chaos, confusion. In that confusion they cried out in fear, “It is a ghost!”(vs 26) Jesus quickly reassures them, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”(vs 27) Peter wants confirmation that it is Jesus and so he says “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” (vs 28)
We see without hesitation, Peter walks out onto the boat. Jesus said “Come” and Peter immediately responded. Have you felt that in your walk? You read a passage from the bible, go on a mission trip, or hear the Lord directing you in a specific way and you hear: Come? And immediately you respond. Until…
Matthew 14:30, “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
Until we take our eyes off of our Savior and put them on our circumstances.
When Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, looked at the waves and the storm and he began to sink.
Today in our world, we have many things that pull at our attention. Wars, poor health, conspiracies, broken relationships, church differences - the list really can go on and on. What are we called to do in the midst of all of these? Like Peter we need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Not only does he promise to be our savior, but our refuge and our guide but in 1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—”
So when the storms of life, the confusion of the news, the latest conspiracy begin to infiltrate your mind, causing you fear, anxiety and doubt do what James 4:8 says “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” When you are stuck unsure of your next step, quiet your mind and remember Prov 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
We, like Peter, may take our eyes off of Jesus and begin to sink and flail and cry out. Luckily, there is grace even in our failure. Jesus reaches down and picks Peter up from the water. Not only did Peter receive the grace to be rescued from the storm, but he received the ultimate grace - the true knowledge of who Jesus was. “Truly you are the Son of God.” Full and ultimate grace, coming to the full knowledge that Jesus is the Son of God, who came to seek and save us even when we have little faith. What a beautiful reminder for us!
So, do we really trust that God is THE true expert on our lives, our health, our finances, our relationships, and even our country? When we are confused and shaken, we need only to quiet ourselves and come before Him, seek His Word, and we will be reminded not only that He is God but that He cares deeply for us and each of our circumstances.