Thursday, August 6th, 2020

When things are happening in the world that we do not like or are confusing, it can lead us to question what God is doing. God is always doing great things in the world, but we do not always understand them as we see them unfold. One of the most well known things Jesus did is to walk on the water. Mark recounts that event this way, “Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and [Jesus] 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.” Jesus saw that how hard his beloved disciplines were straining against the strong winds tossing them about. This is a situation we all are familiar with, whether now from present circumstances or previously in our lives. Jesus responded by doing the impossible, walking on water, to reach them. He knew they were frightened so his immediate words were for them to “take courage” and not be afraid any longer because he was with them. When he climbed into the boat with them, the storms died down. What we can take from this today is that even the most faithful can be frightened and confused as to what Jesus is doing when they allow their circumstances to dictate their belief. Today, trust that no matter what you are going through, if you have Jesus in your “boat,” the storms will die down.

“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 6:47-52 NIV