Do you not care we are perishing?

Those words sound so haunting to me..."Do you not care we are perishing?" They were spoken to the Lord Jesus who had been asleep in the stern of the boat during a fierce windstorm (Mark 4). The disciples were all afraid, thinking they might not make it. Jesus was resting calmly. Maybe He could be accused of indifference... NOT likely!
If the disciples only knew how much He cared they would see how ridiculous those words were. The fact that He was in the boat with them was an act of utmost care. He was the Lord! He was involved in creating all that was! He is a being that has life in Himself. He does not need anything to complete Himself. But here He was, having left heaven's glory, having come to earth, now in a boat with these humans. And they ask, "Do you not care we are perishing?"
But we know there is more to the story. Not only would He be in a boat with them, but He would mount a cross. He would take upon Himself their sins. Romans 4:25 declares that he "was delivered up for our transgressions..." And having born our sins, He took the hell our sins deserved. And we ask, "Do you not care we are perishing?"
May we know for certain that the Lord Jesus Christ is a God who cares. He was concerned for Jacob and brought an amazing deliverance for him. He was concerned for the Jews during the time of Esther. He was concerned that they were soon to perish and once again He brought about an amazing deliverance.
Whenever we feel abandoned or troubled by life's circumstances and are tempted to look up and ask the Lord of heaven if He cares, we must look to the cross, and know the answer is a big huge "yes". Rejoice, for we have a God who does care when His people are perishing.
But before we leave this post there is an important application to consider. Do WE care for those around us who are perishing? We who have been recipients of such a great deliverance should not forget to care for those around us. If the Lord Jesus is living within us, His Spirit is going to compel us to care. That seems to be what was happening in Esther's day. They were having this great celebration concerning their being delivered, but in the midst of their celebrating they did not forget the poor - the less fortunate - those who are perishing. No, they reached out to the needy and in so doing reflected the caring nature of their God.
May God enable us to care for the perishing even as we are celebrating the great deliverance and life we have in Christ. Rejoice - for our Lord does care!