I wrote this as a devotion for our teachers this morning, but figured I would share it with everyone.
When I took a course on the Synoptic Gospels, I had a teacher that really hammered home the significance of Jesus’ miracles.
He encouraged me to ask the question, “What does each miracle account teach us about Jesus?”
To give you an example, I want to take a look at Mark 6:45-52. It is one of the accounts of Jesus walking on the water.
This comes after a miraculous feeding in the same chapter, and after the feeding, Jesus sends His disciples by ship to go to Bethsaida. But the journey isn’t easy for them, as they find themselves fighting and fighting to get across the sea. They are up against a brutal wind. And they’ve been at it for hours. Mark tells us it is the fourth watch of the night – which is around 4 am. Imagine their exhaustion.
The progress is slow and painful. It is filled with setbacks.
And the text says that Jesus, “saw that they were making headway painfully… and he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them.”
As you read this account (or maybe the very first time you read this account), your initial reaction was probably to be astounded by the miracle, itself.
“Wow. Jesus can walk on water. That’s amazing.” And so, that would lead you to say something like, “Jesus is truly God.” Or, “Jesus is Lord over creation.” Neither of those statements untrue.
But I’ll assume that if you’re reading this devotion, those were a given. What if this account is meant to teach us something more than that?
Take a look again at verse 48. It says two important things:
1. Jesus saw the disciples and their struggle against the wind.
2. He meant to pass by them.
At a glance, that second statement seems almost cruel, especially in conjunction with the first. Jesus sees the disciples’ situation, their struggle against the wind, presumably their exhaustion… and so He goes walking out on the water, meaning to pass by them, so as to do what? Give them a good scare? Rub it in their face that He isn't struggling like them?
I mean, the only reason they’re in this situation is by His command. He made them get into the boat!
Jesus is not cruel. It isn't His nature to give a command without offering help.
I’d encourage to re-read Mark 6:48 in this way, “And He saw they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. He meant for them to see Him.”
I think often we have every intention of following Jesus’ command, but sometimes, we come up against the wind. We struggle and we struggle, and we run ourselves ragged just trying to make headway. And we do it for the right reasons! Yet, in all our doing, we forget to call out.
So, Jesus meets us out on the waves. “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
Maybe you started your morning with Jesus in your boat… I hope that’s the case. Or, maybe you already made some headway, but it’s been brutal and you’re exhausted.
Jesus wants to help you. He wants you to call out.
He's a good guy to have in your boat.
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