Jesus in the Boat
There’s been a scripture on my heart all week. It comes from the end of Mark chapter 6. Jesus has just fed 5,000 men (much more than that when you count the women and families) with just 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. His disciples were there when it happened – they even participated by passing out the food; and yet in the very next paragraph, Mark says later that same night as they were having a hard time navigating a storm on the Sea of Galilee, they witness Jesus walking on the water, and because their hearts were too hard to fully understand what had just occurred during the miraculous feeding they were afraid, and even thought that Jesus was a ghost.
I’m obsessing over this because it rings true to my own experience. Basically, the disciples had witnessed and participated in a mind-blowing, miraculous event, but their hard hearts prevented them from being transformed by what they had seen and experienced. Then, the next time they were in a stressful situation, when most of us would like to think that we would remember the power of Jesus, and not act fearfully, they still act like just hours earlier they had not seen first hand the awesome power of Jesus.
I can relate.
There is not enough room in a hundred posts to list all the times in my life that God has shown up in powerful and miraculous ways; or times when I witnessed first hand, and even participated in powerful and miraculous events. And yet…why do I still act fearfully when stressful things happen, or when I face a season of uncertainty?
Here is what I want all of us to confront and embrace this morning. The problem with the storms we face in our life, is that they lie to us. They tell us that we are alone, that we’re trapped, that there is no hope, and no way out. And so panic sets in, and we give into fear, despair, anger, bitterness, and everything else that is toxic, destructive, and ultimately deadly within us. Those feelings are ALL lies!
The truth is, God sees us. The truth is, God has saved us before, and He will save us again. The truth is, God is ALWAYS faithful – all we really have to do is be still (which is easier said than done), remember all the ways that God has saved us in the past, and trust that He will do what He has done every other time.
Watch as suddenly you will have hope; watch as faith begins to kindle itself within your heart; watch as the strength and peace of the Holy Spirit works its way into your heart. Then, we won’t be victims of our brokenness and fear, but we will be victorious by the grace and power of Jesus!
Mark 6 ends with Jesus coming over to the scared disciples in the boat, lovingly telling them “don’t be afraid”, and then getting into the boat with them. As soon as He gets in the boat, the storm stops, and peace fills the picture.
Hear those words for us today and everyday. Whatever storm you’re going through, whatever boat you are in; Jesus sees you, He’s on His way to you (walking on water), He lovingly says to you, “don’t be afraid”…and just like that…He’s in the boat with you, and peace will fill your life.
Lord, help us to know the truth! May it set us free from the lies that imprison us!