Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you knew you were in trouble? If you are breathing and your heart is beating, then I’m sure your answer is “yes.” Sometimes things happen outside of our control and we are caught in a storm, either metaphorically or literally. Sometimes we make our own poor choices and get in a jam. Either way, all of us have been in serious trouble at some point, maybe many points, in our lives. I can recall more times than I care to admit when in trouble I cried out, “God, where are you?” And then I always discover that God was with me all along.
Mark 6 tells a story about people getting in trouble. It’s one that I’ve always found fascinating. Jesus and the disciples had just wrapped up the miracle of loaves and fishes where they fed thousands of hungry people. Immediately after that Jesus instructed the disciples to travel by boat to Bethsaida while he went up to the hills by himself to pray. (We should probably adopt this practice of prayer that Jesus modeled repeatedly.) Before the disciples reached the destination a storm came up that threatened to sink the boat. The disciples, some of whom were experienced fishermen, were in serious trouble.
Here’s where the story gets super interesting. Mark stated that Jesus saw that they were in trouble. In the middle of the night Jesus walked on the water across the lake, you know, because Jesus can do that. But get this, Jesus “intended to go past them.” It wasn’t until the disciples screamed in fear about the strange dude walking on the water that Jesus stopped to help them. Jesus addressed their fear at once. “Don’t be afraid. Take courage! I am here!” Then he climbed in the boat and the wind stopped.
They were amazed, and I’m amazed. Who is this Jesus? He sees our troubles, he walks on water, he calms the storms. What troubles could I have that are beyond his control? Is there a place I can go where he can’t reach me? Is there a storm stronger than him? No, of course not. There is no problem too big for Jesus, the great “I AM.” Not even all the sins of the world could keep him down for more than three days. And he voluntarily took on that task.
Far too often I feel overwhelmed by whatever difficult situation I find myself in. Far too often I forget that Jesus sees me in the storm. Yet when I cry out to him, he answers. In the boat or on the water, Jesus is with me.
Wherever you are today, whatever situation you find yourself in, I urge you, cry out to Jesus. He sees you. He knows your name. He hears your call. He answers your prayers. Jesus is with you, wherever you are. “Don’t be afraid. Take courage! I am here!”
Notes: I’ve been thinking about writing this piece for several weeks, but crazy schedules kept me from prioritizing it. Then yesterday I got a last minute message to fill in for Pastor’s Corner in our local newspaper. With a new urgency and an hour or two later, this is what I turned it for today’s publication. I’ll update this article with the direct link when it is available.
Cody Haar 