Well, I'm sitting in an airport right now, because my flight was cancelled. Instead of getting home tonight I'll be spending the night in a hotel and won't be getting home until tomorrow afternoon. Now, as disappointed as I am about this, there are definite positives to being stuck in an airport (and I'm trying to dwell on those right now =), one of those is that I'll end up being on the same flight as two other girls from school, and number two being that I can finish up this blog post that I started over Thanksgiving break.
I've been reading in the Gospel of Mark recently and came across the account of Jesus walking on water in Chapter 6. To give you an idea of the setting, John the Baptist has just recently been beheaded and upon receiving this news Jesus and the disciples went to a desert place to rest. However, the crowds met them there and Jesus has compassion on them.
After a long day of teaching, He performed the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 men. He had told the disciples to "Give ye them to eat." And they said unto him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?" This was something they could not fulfill and so He stepped in and did what was humanly impossible. Having performed this Jesus tells his disciples to go into the ship that they had beforehand gotten and to go to the other side, while He sends the people away.
"And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray."
After a time of ministering, Jesus went to the refreshment of time in prayer. Perhaps He prayed for the souls to whom He had just ministered, or maybe He just enjoyed time thanking His Father for what had just happened. I don't know, but praying obviously was something that He desired to do afterwards.
Now, to return to the disciples....
"And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them."
The disciples had followed the Lord's instruction to go to the other side and now they were caught in the middle of a storm. Was this His plan? Had they heard Him right? What was He doing to them? Had He forgotten about them? I'm sure they had questions running through their mind as they toiled and fought in the storm.
However, it is evident from this passage that Jesus knew exactly what was happening and He let it continue, for He saw them at even and it wasn't until the fourth watch that He came out unto them. (According to what I read online the fourth watch would have been between 3-6 a.m)
Notice in verse 48 it says that He "would have passed by them." At first I wondered why He would have done that, but the more I thought about that, the more I realized that perhaps Jesus merely wanted them to see His presence in the middle of the storm. He wanted them to know He knew what they were going through and thus test their faith to trust Him even when the storm continued. Yet Jesus' desire to bring comfort only caused them further distress. They failed to recognize Him (and His hand at work) and so Jesus immediately comes to them and audibly speaks comfort to them.
"But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened."
The miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 had JUST HAPPENED! And yet already they had forgotten. Already they had forgotten of the power of Christ and of His complete sovereignty and control in every situation.
Now, my initial thought here would be to say that once Jesus had calmed the storm, they would recognize who he was, but reading on it says...
..."And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him"
It wasn't until they came back safely to the shore that they realized it was Him.
How many times have we gone through a trial, a storm, a hard time and wondered where God was, only to come safely out of it and realize that 1. He first of all showed us His presence 2. He then He spoke to us 3. and then He calmed the storm. And all the time that He had been working and trying to show Himself to us, we had completely missed Him!
"And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment:"
After that, I would too...wouldn't you?
"...and as many as touched him were made whole."
He is trustworthy. He will either calm the storm or He will calm you.
Right now...sitting here at this airport...
...He's calming me.
