“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:37,38)
Appearances can be deceiving. Satan can look like an angel of light. Wolves can hide under sheeps’ clothing. While the wounds of a true friend are faithful, the kisses of an enemy are deceitful (Prov. 27:6).
So often, how things seem are not the way they are. The simple are seduced by smooth words. They are hoodwinked by those who lie in wait to deceive. Deception involves falsely concluding that evil is good and good is evil.
The greatest deception leading to the greatest transgression is soon to come. Man will believe that a good God is evil. So it will seem. After all, His fiery judgments will fill the earth, and enrage a world who worship the creation more than the Creator. They will rise up as one with long pent-up fury toward a God they chose not to know.
The disciples themselves were teetering on apostasy. In the midst of their deep distress, the one they thought loved them was asleep. It seemed like He didn’t care whether they lived or died. But especially when it comes to God, things are not always as they seem. “Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.”
God does care – far, far more than it seems to our “feeble sense.” What does He want from us? Faith that is anchored in His Word. Faith that counts Him good and faithful and caring, even when our circumstances point to the opposite. Once He stilled the storm, Jesus reproved His disciples: “Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)
Don’t die in a wilderness of unbelief. Cast all your cares upon the one who unfailingly cares for you. People can appear to care, and then we find out they really don’t. But God is not a man, that He should lie. He is not what He sometimes seems to be; but He always is who He is.