What Faith Did They Require

In Luke there is a story about how Jesus when to cross the Sea of Galilee and while crossing it, the gale force winds picked up, threatening to sink the ship. This of course startled the disciples; so much so that they sought to rouse the sleeping Jesus to inform him that they we're in peril. His response to them once he'd calmed the storms was..."where is your faith?"

As I read this in my Bible this morning I occurred to me that faith without action, isn't really faith. Then I reasoned, what action could they have taken that would have demonstrated faith in God?

I was perplexed. Here I am staring at a well known story, with my whole faith in the balance. What actions did he require?

You see it's more than a few mere actions, or just a belief system. It's a way of life. Let's back up in that same book and you can see something special happening.

Luke 5:4-6
Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. 6. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

It's interesting to note that when Luke obeys Jesus's command, he is NOT demonstrating faith! He's merely obeying someone who clearly appears to be in authority. In fact when you listen to his response he say " hey buddy, I been at this all night, I've lived a fishermans life, I know when to call it quits...but because you're in my boat and we're in deep water...and you're preaching in front of allllllll these people - I'll do it. It wasn't until the net's were full that faith actually arrived.

7. And they beckoned unto [their] partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 8. When Simon Peter saw [it], he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:


So fast forward back to my original question - what act of faith could they have demonstrated? My belief is the act of submission to the will of God. He can restore my life, my wealth, my family, my anything from complete ruin, but he will not do so for an un-submissive heart. They could have not panicked, and they could have held up under the strength in faith that Jesus is but to ask us to put our nets over the side and he will fill them.

So as you go through your day and things aren't going the way that you think they should - look for the ways in which you can act out your faith. Since it's Jesus who fills the nets, but only when you cast them over the side in submission. And through your submission you can build a faith that honors God.