This is one of my favorite accounts in the gospel of Mark:
“Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,” Mark 6:47-51
The more I study these verses, the more I see God at work.
The more I see how relevant this account is to our lives.
And the more I see how good, compassionate, and mighty our God is.
Jesus saw the disciples straining at the oars because the wind was against them.
How does this relate to you and me?
Just like the wind was against the disciples and they were straining to fight against it, we are straining and fighting the sin, the brokenness, the heartache, and the evil in this world.
And Jesus sees us.
Just like he saw the disciples.
But how many times are we praying and asking for help but it seems like our help doesn’t come?
This account tells us Jesus saw them that night. But he doesn’t immediately go out to them. He went out to them shortly before dawn.
They strained most of the night before it was time for Jesus to go out to them.
We will have seasons of our life where we struggle and it feels like Jesus doesn’t see us, but He always sees us, and things will work the way they’re supposed to in his perfect timing.
I always wondered why it said he went out to them walking on the water and was about to pass by them.
I used to think he was going to walk by them without helping.
But that doesn’t make sense because before it says, ‘he was about to pass by them’, it says, ‘he went out to them.’
So I think it’s both.
He went out to them with the intention of passing by them.
But not passing by them to leave them alone with no help. Otherwise, why would he have went out to them in the first place?
He went out to them, walking on water, to pass by them, so they could see his power and glory.
He wanted to reveal to them who he was by passing by them walking on water.
Then the Bible tells us, ‘but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified.’
They didn’t recognize Jesus.
They didn’t understand what he was doing.
They were scared.
Sound familiar?
How many times do we miss opportunities to see the power of God?
We don’t understand and we’re scared to do things God has planned for us to do, not recognizing that it would reveal his power and glory.
This next part is probably my favorite part though.
“Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down.”
Jesus wanted the disciples to see his power and glory, but they didn’t understand. Jesus could’ve been angry and refused to help them. He could’ve been frustrated that they didn’t see what He was doing.
But that’s not how he reacted.
Jesus is so compassionate, and so loving, that even when we can’t see what he’s trying to do for us, he still rescues us from ourselves.
He immediately spoke to them and told them it was Him. He told them not to be afraid. And he climbed in the boat with them.
How compassionate and good is our God that he loves us so much he is always there to reassure and comfort us when we cry out to him!
He doesn’t leave us.
Instead, when our boat is full of troubles, he climbs in with us.
And when we realize we don’t have to face the storms of this life alone, the wind dies down.
