Storms.

“And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you.” – 1 Peter 3:21

In the center of Fredsville Lutheran Church, where I did my vicariate year (internship), there is a small, replica of a sailing ship suspended by wires from the ceiling. Fredsville was founded by Danish settlers, and its name means “peaceful village” or “village of peace.” This is a common practice among Danish churches symbolizing the memory of their ancestors who made the journey before them. It is the common ship that sails across the waters of life to our heavenly home. This ancient symbol of the ark represents the church, the body of Christ, always leading God’s beloved to safety and freedom. 

We hear this imagery of the ark from the prayers read during the baptism service. They remind us of our common baptismal journey. One of these prayers read, “by the baptism of his death and resurrection, your Son, Jesus, carried us safely to freedom. The floods shall not overwhelm us, and the deep shall not swallow us up, for Christ has brought us over to the land of promise.” 

Often, the ship of the church sails through rough waters and impassable storms. We cry out like the disciples caught in a storm, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” (Matthew 8:25) We wonder if Jesus cares about us. We find it hard to have faith when we are overwhelmed. Yet, Jesus does hear our cry. He looks at us with compassion. He stands in the storm and commands, “Peace! Be still!” (Mark 4:39) The wind and the sea obey him because he is God. He reminds us who he is, “I am; Do not be afraid!” (John 6:20)

Jesus went before us into the storm when he accepted death for our sake on the cross and was risen from the dead. He carries us over the sloshing waters of life. He sees us through the damage that we have created by things we have done and failed to do. He does this because of his love for us. He has marked us by his promise, and we are his. We belong to Christ in whom we have been baptized. He forgives our sins, heals our brokenness, and restores our weariness. We are never alone when we go through the storms. The flood of life’s woes does not have the power to overwhelm us or swallow us up, because Christ has already overwhelmed and swallowed up sin, death, and all evil. 

Jesus guides the ship that we are on. Living by faith, we trust that the Holy Spirit is going to fill the sails of our hearts, minds, spirits, and churches with the inexhaustible, divine wind of grace and mercy. We pray that the church, and God’s beloved within it, will always be led to safety and freedom through the hearing of the Gospel until the day comes when all will rest beside still waters in the peaceful village of heavenly rest, the fulfillment and completion of God’s promise to us in our baptism.