May the words of my mouth and this meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, LORD, our Rock and our Redeemer. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
“…But they doubted.”
My friend Anita Gutschick often says fear and doubt will stop you dead in your tracks and prevent you from living the grace filled life God intends for you. Seems like the disciples that morning might have been having some of those same fears or hesitations about what Jesus is asking them to do.
Stepping out in faith to proclaim a new message, a new way of living can be scary, to be sure. Here’s a short story that will help illustrate this point:
Once upon a time in a small coastal village embraced by majestic cliffs, and caressed by the roaring seas, lived a young woman named Isabella. She had a deep passion for storytelling, but she kept her creativity confined entirely to her own mind. Paralyzed by the fear of rejection, she hid her stories away.
One evening, while walking along the rocky shoreline, she met Antonio, an old fisherman whose weathered face and hands spoke of a life full of hard work and pursued dreams. Intrigued by his wisdom, Isabella struck up a conversation and confessed her deepest struggles with doubt
Antonio listened patiently. He shared his own experiences as a young fisherman, explaining how doubt had once haunted him like an ever-present companion. However, he had come to learn a valuable secret: doubt is not an enemy or a permanent fixture, but rather a temporary, passing visitor that appears whenever you chase your dreams.
To illustrate, he shared stories of other dreamers in the village—painters, poets, and musicians—who had faced uncertainty but chose to press forward and share their talents anyway.
Inspired by Antonio's words, Isabella realized that her stories had the power to move people, and that her uncertainties were simply a normal part of the journey toward growth. She began dedicating herself to writing, finding endless inspiration in the natural beauty of the sea.
One evening, she gathered the villagers and mustered the courage to share her tales aloud. Though her voice trembled at first, her determination held strong. As the villagers listened attentively, their hearts were touched. Isabella's doubt evaporated, replaced by a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment.
News of Isabella's gift quickly spread, and she became an inspiration to others. She learned that when you embrace your creativity and share your unique gifts, fear loses its power.
Fear loses its power when doubt is replaced by a deep sense of purpose and action. When we like Isabella, accept our unique gift of faith, gifted to us at our baptism, can become true emissaries for Jesus. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Now that the Holy Spirit dwells in us, our fears, doubts and hesitations become minor inconveniences in our lives. Jesus has called us with the words, “Follow Me.” We are on the team!
Is it because we are the fastest, have the best arm, or score the most points? Were we chosen because we are the tallest, best looking or most congenial? Did he choose us because we are able to read and write, live a good life or have lots of money?
NO! NO! NO!
We are chosen for a very simple and direct reason. GOD LOVES US. God doesn’t care if we have messed up in the past or that we will inevitably mess up in the future. God doesn’t care that we are far from perfect. God loves us, sinners though we may be.
In case we had any doubt, Jesus tells us that he has experienced this love from God, his loving Father. Then Jesus goes on to tell us that he shares this love with us and in turn, we are to share love with each other. He calls us his friends and equals and asks us to follow him. We know him, and he knows us.
He has chosen us even though he knows us, knows our weaknesses and our strengths. It doesn’t matter, he loves us no matter what we have, what we’ve done or what we’ve said. Jesus trusts us with the mission as he says to us today, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” and we can almost hear him say, “And now I share it with you.”
Being a follower of Jesus Christ has always been counter cultural. Jesus knew that this was to be the case and warned his original disciples (followers) that division and opposition to him and to his message was inevitable.
This still holds true for Christ’s followers today. We as Christians must live the lifestyle we preach. We must be authentic in our words and actions. Remember people often don’t listen to what you say, but they watch what you do and how you act.
As a teen in the mid 1970’s I remember this saying, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
I often wondered if I would be convicted. This is a good question to ask ourselves today and every day of our life. Sometimes it’s hard to walk in the way that Jesus taught, that law of love that he commanded us to follow. However, he did not leave us to weather the storms of this world alone. The Holy Spirit, our Advocate goes with us.
Here is another little story to shed some light on when things seem bleak
A pastor had faithfully served the church. His executive responsibilities had taken him all over this country. He told of one of the most frightening, yet thought-provoking, experiences of his life.
He had been on a long flight from one place to another. The first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the airplane flashed on: Fasten your seat belts. Then, after a while, a calm voice said, “We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened.”
As the pastor looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive. Later, the voice of the announcer said, “We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us.”
Then the storm broke. The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightning lit up the darkening skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if it were about to crash.
The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him. He said, “As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm.
Then, I suddenly saw a little girl. Apparently, the storm meant nothing to her. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat; she was reading a book and everything within her small world was calm and orderly.
Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world.
When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity, when all the adults were scared half to death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid.”
The minister could hardly believe his eyes. It was not surprising therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark, the pastor lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for such a long time.
Having commented about the storm and behavior of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid. The child replied, “Cause my Daddy’s the pilot, and he’s taking me home.”
There are many kinds of storms that buffet us:
• Physical,
• Mental,
• Financial,
• Domestic, and…
These and many other storms in our daily lives can quickly and easily shake our world and throw “our plane” into a tailspin of uncertainty.
If we are honest and confess, most of us feel better when we are in control and our feet are on the ground than when we are at the mercy of a force we cannot see or control.
However, we must remember that God, Our Father, is the pilot, and the Trinity is in control and taking us home. So Don’t worry about anything at all. All is well.
Blessings on your Day.
Notes: Preached (Delivered) May 31, 2026, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Falun, Wisconsin and Bethany Lutheran Church, Grantsburg, Wisconsin
Trinity Sunday Year A May 31, 2026
Readings: Genesis 1:1-2:4a, Psalm 8, 2 Corinthians 13:11-13, Matthew 26:16-20
