Does God Even Care?

There is no doubt we are in the middle of a huge health crisis like anything any of us have ever seen or experienced. Every day there are more confirmed cases of the Coronavirus as well as deaths caused by the coronavirus. Life has changed dramatically from events being canceled, students going to school online, people working from home and millions have lost their jobs. Life as we knew it almost seems like a distant dream. We are in the middle of a storm and it feels as though we are paddling against the wind while water continues to pour over the side of the boat. In the quiet moments of our lives we may wonder, “Where are you, God? Do you care what is going on here on earth? Are you mad at us and venting your wrath?”

Jesus in the Storm
Jesus told the disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side of the lake. As they were going, Jesus laid down in the boat and took a nap. While He was sleeping a storm arose on the lake. Some of the disciples in the boat were fishermen and these men knew their way around a boat and probably had been in a few storms before, but this storm was different. The disciples were battling the waves, “but the wind was against them.” They finally got to a point where they thought they were all going to die in the middle of the lake. There was nothing more they could do. But guess who was in the boat with them the whole time? Jesus. What was Jesus doing? Sleeping!

It wasn’t that Jesus didn’t know what was going on. It wasn’t that Jesus didn’t care what was going on. Jesus was in the boat, getting wet, rocking from the waves with the disciples. Yet, Jesus was at peace in the middle of the storm. He was experiencing the storm with them, but not experiencing the same emotions.

The disciples in their panic woke Jesus saying, “Lord, save us! We are going to drown!”

Jesus woke up and said to the disciples, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”

I don’t think Jesus was angry, mad or frustrated with the disciples. It was a teachable moment for Jesus to reveal to them who He is, the truth about life, and the courage we can have in the midst of the storm because He is with us.

We are in the middle of a major storm.

It can feel like we have been abandoned by God, God does not care or even that God is mad at us and therefore he is punishing us with this virus. These feelings and thoughts are lies from hell. God is not punishing us or venting His wrath on us. God cares deeply about what is going on in the world today.

God is a God of love, compassion, mercy, which was revealed to us in Jesus who healed people of diseases. He hurt with people (Jesus wept). He loved people who were considered dirty, sinners, people who were far from God. Jesus did not vent God’s wrath on these people. He suffered with them. Jesus reveals to us who God is to us.

God is hurting with us. He is feeling what we are feeling. He is in the middle of the storm with us (Immanuel – God is with us), not asleep, but actively working and moving in our midst, even if we can’t see Him. God cares deeply for us.