Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to spend ten days in Thailand. What a beautiful country—and what gentle, loving people. Since I had never been in a country where Buddhists make up the majority, I was interested in learning as much as possible about the people and their history. Before leaving the States I read Thich Nhat Hanh’s No Death, No Fear: Comforting Wisdom for Life.
While I was in Thailand, it was obvious to me that Buddhists do not worship Buddha. Their desire is to learn from his wisdom and to practice that wisdom in their daily lives. I noticed that in each of the many statues of Buddha there are hand gestures which indicate the wisdom he taught. If his hands are folded in his lap he is meditating or praying, communicating with God’s true nature. One statue in particular had my favorite gesture: Buddha with both arms stretched out and his hands flat, the kind of gesture a traffic officer makes when he or she wants you to stop. Under that statue were the words, “Stop the ocean.”
I thought a lot about why that message is so important. In a country where monsoons, hurricanes, and tidal waves have caused flooding and devastation, the idea of stopping the ocean has special—and literal—significance. It was a reminder to me that destructive natural disasters aren’t sanctioned by God, and aren’t a part of His plan for His creation. But “Stop the ocean” also struck me as an echo of Jesus’ command, “Peace, be still.” When confronted with a terrific storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus’ disciples woke him up and asked him, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” He chided them for their lack of faith and immediately quieted the storm (see Mark 4:36–41). Doesn’t Jesus’ command also apply to quieting storms of fear, illness, doubt, or envy in our own lives, too? “Stopping the ocean” to me means acknowledging God’s control over every aspect of our experience.
