How to survive and thrive in storms!

Mark 6:45-52

46 As soon as the meal was finished, Jesus insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead across to Bethsaida while he dismissed the congregation. After telling everyone good- bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. 47 Now when evening had come, the boat was out in the middle of the lake, and He was by Himself on the land. 48 And having seen that they were troubled and tormented in [their] rowing, for the wind was against them, about the fourth watch of the night [between 3: 00–6: 00 a. m.] He came to them, walking [directly] on the sea. And He acted as if He meant to pass by them, 49 But when they saw Him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and raised a [deep, throaty] shriek of terror. 50 For they all saw Him and were agitated (troubled and filled with fear and dread). But immediately He talked with them and said, Take heart! I AM! Stop being alarmed and afraid. 51 And He went up into the boat with them, and the wind ceased ( sank to rest as if exhausted by its own beating). And they were astonished exceedingly [beyond measure], 52 For they failed to consider or understand [the teaching and meaning of the miracle of] the loaves; [in fact] their hearts had grown callous [had become dull and had lost the power of understanding].

Food for thought!

After the hunger of the crowd had been satisfied, Jesus immediately sent his disciples away before he dismissed the crowd. Why should he do that? The gospel says, “he went up into the hills by himself to pray.” There are two things here that happened. The first one is: “Jesus insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on”, and the second one is “he went up into the hills by himself to pray.” As you know, what Jesus did on this earth was to teach you and me. Even this time.

Jesus deliberately sent his disciples INTO the storm! Yes, the Lord does it often; he sends us into terrible storms of life. Indeed, this very day, some people are heading into a storm; others are right now in one; yet others are just coming from one. Where might you be?

At the end, the gospel says “they failed to consider or understand [the teaching and meaning of the miracle of] the loaves; [in fact] their hearts had grown callous [had become dull and had lost the power of understanding].” The disciples didn’t understand yesterday’s miracle; they didn’t go beyond the event; they took everything for granted. May be this is why he sent them into the storm.

Many times we are like these disciples: unable to understand the deeds of the Lord in our lives. Do YOU understand what is happening in your life, or do you think that all that happens to you is meaningless? It is meaningful, very much so. To be able to see life as Jesus sees it, we need to do as Jesus did: “After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.”

Sometimes we must bid goodbye to people, even our dear ones, in order to pray; we need some quiet moment after work, after serving and feeding people, to be by ourselves and our Father in heaven. It is curious to note, that before he walked on the waters, the very waters that were destroying the disciples, Jesus had been praying.

Prayer empowers us to walk over storms; the disciples that didn’t pray that night, messed all over. First, “when they saw Him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and raised a [deep, throaty] shriek of terror.” Secondly, they “were agitated (troubled and filled with fear and dread).” Thirdly, “they were astonished exceedingly [beyond measure].” Fourthly, “they failed to consider or understand [the teaching and meaning of the miracle of] the loaves.” Fifthly, “their hearts had grown callous [had become dull and had lost the power of understanding].”

As Jesus taught us yesterday, whenever we are overwhelmed by the storms of life, let us not panic but remember to pray and play our part. “Take heart! I AM! Stop being alarmed and afraid. And He went up into the boat with them, and the wind ceased.”