Mark 6:45-52
45 And immediately Jesus had His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He Himself *dismissed the crowd.
46 And after saying goodbye to them, He left for the mountain to pray.
47 When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land.
48 Seeing them straining at the oars—for the wind was against them—at about the fourth watch of the night, He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them.
49 But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought that it was a ghost, and they cried out;
50 for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.”
51 Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished,
52 for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Training in the Storm
Jesus withdrawing from the crowd
The crowd that witnessed the miracle of the loaves and fish considered Jesus to be the “Prophet who is to come into the world” (ref. Deut.18:15) and wanted to make Him the “King of Galilee.” However, winning the favor of the crowd was not what Jesus preferred. After compelling His disciples to get into the boat, Jesus went up to the mountain alone. There is a certain danger in becoming ecstatic over a successful service. At this point, both Jesus and His disciples needed to take a rest. It was for physical recovery and spiritual recharging. Are you making time to have conversation with the Father? Let’s not get carried away by the busy schedule.
Disciples crossing the lake
The disciples, without Jesus, got into the boat and headed towards Bethsaida on the other side of the lake. On that day, a strong wind blew across the Sea of Galilee, so the disciples on the boat ended up wandering in the storm for nine hours. Despite struggling for long hours, the boat had only covered about 4 to 5 kilometers (about 3 miles). Seeing the disciples straining on the oars, Jesus approached them, walking on the water. It was the “fourth watch of the night,” which is between 3:00 AM and 6:00 AM. When they saw Jesus, they thought he was a ghost and were afraid. Jesus reassured them, saying, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.” When Jesus entered the boat, the wind stopped. The disciples were filled with awe beyond words. Now, what lesson did the disciples learn through this experience? Despite living with Jesus and witnessing the miracle of the loaves and fish, the disciples’ faith hadn’t truly integrated into their lives. This illustrates how intellectual understanding doesn’t always translate into practical application in life. Having the correct theology doesn’t guarantee that someone actually is living by faith. Are you inviting Jesus into your boat amidst the storms of your own life? He speaks to you, saying, “Take courage; It is I, do not be afraid.”
Today's prayer
Our Creator, I invite you into my boat now. Please come. Please calm the storms in my heart. I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.