Wake up, Jesus!

Last evening, we had a surprise thunder storm in Chennai. Rain is always welcome in our hot, sweaty city. And yesterday's was a pleasant surprise for me.

But Nanma was frightened. After 2 months of h.o.t and hotter weather, with not a breeze in the air, she was startled by the loud noises as our doors banged shut with the wind. She huddled up beside me and I carried her out to the doorstep to watch the rain and the lightening in the distance.

"Amma rain de katha para" she said. Tell me the story of rain! As I wondered what story to make up, I suddenly remembered the story of Jesus calming the storm. I told her the story and she listened, the trees bending over in the wind, the pelting rain and the thunder and lightening added to the drama.

"Jesus and his friends were out on a tiny fishing boat in the middle of the sea. It was beautiful and calm out there on the open seas and Jesus went to take a nap. His friends were fine. After all, what bad thing could happen on a beautiful day like this? But suddenly, a storm arose. The tiny boat was tossed about the huge waves and Jesus' friends held on for their dear lives.

Where was Jesus? Why wasn't he doing something? Was he really who he claimed to be? How dare he sleep through this? Why wasn't he even helping bail the water out? One of them went to wake him up. "Master, Master,Don't you care? We're going to drown!" he said. Jesus woke up, smiled at him and then stood up.

He looked at the raging sea and said " Hush!...Shhhh...." And in an instant, it was calm again. Then he turned to look at the shocked faces of his friends and said "Come on! where's your faith?" . And they felt silly to have thought he didn't care or that he wasn't listening.

And as I finished that story, I felt quite silly too. I had been asking the very same questions. "Where are you Lord? Why don't you answer? Please do something or else I'm am going to drown in this!" All the while He has been right beside me! Oh me of little faith!

Hush! Peace.... Shalom.... Shhhh!