where waves grow sweet

In one of my favorite scenes from the Simpsons, Lisa has a nightmare about the boogeyman. Since her mom is away, she wakes up her dad for comfort. Instead of calming her fears, he screams, jumps out of bed and tells her to nail the windows shut while he gets the gun. He then runs into Bart’s room to wake him up, saying “I don’t want to alarm you, but there may be a boogeyman or boogeymen in the house!”, and then proceeds to build a barricade out of furniture and other household items, trembling behind it with his kids. When Marge returns to the chaotic scene, he blames his actions on her for leaving him alone.

It was years ago I saw that episode, but it still makes me giggle whenever I think of it. Probably because it captures a piece of human nature – of me – in such a light-hearted way. But in a less humorous way, I think it also captures the response of many believers in a world that often scares us. We are stewards of God’s kingdom on this earth and representatives of His truth and His heart to nonbelievers, but instead of demonstrating his peace amidst scary circumstances (think of Jesus’ nap on stormy seas as the disciples predicted their demise), I think we often follow Homer’s lead and overreact to the provocation of fear, drawing others behind our self-erected barricades with us. And maybe we might even be tempted to blame God for leaving us in charge of this chaotic place where bad things are happening all around us. Don’t get me wrong. I understand that there are legitimately horrific things happening in this world but Jesus, who told us to expect these things, also said “see to it that you are not alarmed.” (Matt 24:6)

Like a parent can bring comfort to a child’s fears because they see the bigger picture, God – who sees the entire picture – can bring not only comfort and rest amidst “wars and rumors of wars,” but courage and authority to shine light into the darkness. Jesus said “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) As we stand on that truth and learn to live from the place of deep security no matter what comes, we will find that others are drawn to the God who can impart this baffling peace in the middle of circumstances that should dictate otherwise. We will be able to comfort them with the comfort we have received (2 Cor 1:4), and together say (and know) that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging… the Lord Almighty is with us.” (Ps 46:1-3, 7)