“Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. 47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 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, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. 53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.” Mark 6.45-52
This is incredible stuff. How could anyone not read this and believe? The things he did were extraordinary. He calms the wind and the waves, he feeds five thousand and now he walks on the water. Jesus, you are the man!
The day has been a long one. Jesus sent his disciples into a boat to go from Bethsaida to Gennesaret. It was not straight across the lake but rather at the northeast corner of the lake. The trip wasn’t too bad but because of the wind the disciples were “straining at the oars.”
It’s probably a few hours since Jesus parted from his disciples when he went up on the mountainside to pray. From where Jesus was, possible several miles away, “he saw the disciples” and they were struggling. He must have some kind of vision to see his disciples from upon a mountain, through a storm, at night. But he is God. Just as Jesus saw them, he “sees” us today.
So “shortly before dawn,” it’s still dark, the disciples have been struggling all night, while he was resting and praying (Take your time Jesus!). He finally comes down to them. And actually when he went out “walking on the lake, he was about to pass them by.” Let that soak in for a minute. These are Jesus’ friends, his disciples. They are struggling to get across the lake. They’ve been working at it for hours and he’s taking a leisurely divine stroll across the water. And he almost passed them by! Did he think they needed to work a little harder at the oars? Or did he see a lesson in their struggle?
Finally, compassion wins over and Jesus speaks to them as soon as the disciples spot him on the lake. “Take courage. It is I,” he says to them for they were afraid and thought he was a ghost. Then he climbed into the boa and the wind died down, no big deal. The disciples keep staring at Jesus, eyes wide and mouths hanging open. The passage tells us “they were completely amazed.”
A few lessons from this story come to mind. One, I like God to amaze me. I’ve been amazed several times throughout my life — things happening when I least expect it, and each time, I was overwhelmed with a sense of joy and gratitude. I imagine the disciples felt the same.
Second, the struggle on the lake is real. Can you relate? Maybe this pandemic has been the struggle for you. Or maybe, there’s been a struggle within this struggle that you are battling — addictions, bad habits, sins that have you “straining at the oars” waiting for Jesus to climb in the boat.
The good news is this — he joins you in the midst of your struggles. He sees you. He knows you. He will not abandon you but will come to you and rescue you from your distress.
The same God who calmed the wind, walks on water, sees his disciples from miles away also cares for you. Will you call out to him today?
“O Lord God, I am In awe of you. How you remain close yet often allow us to struggle to grow stronger, to deepen our faith and our dependence upon you. Thank you Lord that you do not leave us to go at it alone. You walk beside us. You climb into the boat. You find us faithfully fulling your purposes in the midst of the storm. Come now, Holy Spirit, pour out your power upon your people and bring us your presence. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen