SCRIPTURE: Mark 6:45-52
Jesus needs His time alone with God, for personal renewal and strength.
He is intentional about stepping back, both from the crowds and from His close friends.
But while He is away from people, He does not forget about them… He helps to them in their crisis.
I do not think His plan from the start was to walk on water; I think this was His stepping into their crisis in a miraculous way.
Rooted in God, He makes Himself available to those in need or crisis, and God provides miraculous (more than we could do ourselves) support.
I need to step back regularly (daily?!) to renew my focus and strength in God.
But I also need to make myself available (with all God’s help) to support and assist those in need or crisis.
I firmly believe that when we do, God will use us in a miraculous, life-impacting way, well beyond our own ability on our own.
(Like the elderly man who lifts the car off of his son-in-law, well-beyond his strength but not God’s).
Don’t just get side-tracked by the walking on water; see this as God’s invitation to rely on Him and allow Him to bless others through you in amazing, miraculous ways!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
God, help me not to get sidetracked by miracles. Help me to see their point: You are able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine. Help me not to see this selfishly (how I can use this power to my own advantage) but missionally (how I can use this power to bless others)!
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
Jesus dismissed the crowds and went up to a mountainside by himself to pray, after sending the disciples to cross the lake. I am not sure if they firmed up their plans on how they were going to meet up with Jesus, and in the days before cell phones, this could have been tricky. It does say that Jesus could see them struggling to row against the wind.
If it was important for Jesus to be by himself, then maybe this is a practice that I need to do more of. I tend to occupy my time with constant activity. Reading, gardening, puttering, or working on some project around the house, or watching TV, all seem to fill my day. Spending time without activity is not something that I tend to do. In fact, when there is nothing to do, I feel uncomfortable, and start to look for something.
Even though Jesus saw the disciples struggling he waited until the 4th watch to catch up to them. (That sounds late) Seeing Jesus walk on the water would have been terrifying for the disciples, and for me if I were in that boat. This is just something that you don’t normally see. It is like science fiction. This is like seeing a person float on air, or some other act of defying the laws of nature. Jesus words to the disciples were intended to calm them. “Take courage, It is I, Don’t be afraid”.
I wonder what the discussion was in the boat for the rest of the way. The storm had ceased once Jesus was in the boat. This had happened a few chapters ago as well. And that word “amazed” comes up again to describe the reaction of the disciples.
I find the words “ they did not understand about the loaves, and their hearts were hardened” hard to understand. Does this mean that they refused to believe? Does this mean that their hearts were hardened by an external source? I don’t quite understand this line in the story, and how it relates to the story of Jesus walking on the water.
Seeing Jesus do stuff like this, as well as his healing ministry would have been an intense learning experience for the disciples. The laws of nature did not apply when hanging around with him. Just when you thought you had figured out how life on earth is, here comes a guy who doesn’t follow the rules. I can understand why the emotions of the disciples run from terror to amazement regularly.
I pray that I will be amazed at what God has done for me. I pray that his words “Don’t be afraid, I am with you” will be my comfort when it is needed.
Observations/Application
During His ministry, Jesus set times aside to pray. I too, need to set times aside to talk with my Father.
It is amazing that while on land He saw the disciples straining at the oars. Later He went out to them and the disciples cried out. We are never alone. Christ is always with us. He is our Redeemer, King and Saviour. He is our Pacifier. He is with us in our struggles. He is our Rock, our Surety, Our daily Bread if we but believe. I am reminded of the book – take hold of God – and pull:-)
Live for Jesus this day in His power and His strength for He is with me always.
Prayer
Help me to see You each day Lord on my pilgrims progress.
Always with us, always with us,
Words of cheer, and words of love;
Thus the risen Savior whispers,
From His dwelling place above.
With us when we toil in sadness,
Sowing much, and reaping none;
Telling us that in the future
Golden harvests shall be won.
With us when the storm is sweeping,
O’er our pathway dark and drear;
Waking hope within our bosoms,
Stilling every anxious fear.
With us in the lonely valley,
When we cross the chilling stream;
Lighting up the steps to glory
With salvation’s radiant beam.