Unexpected Wave Walker
Have you ever had God unexpectedly show up just when the waves of life have you beat down? I mean you are on your last leg and feel like you can’t go on as you battle the sea of troubles and storms. In Mark 6:45-51 Mark writes of Jesus walking on the water and the unexpected peace he brought into a situation for his followers. Mark 6: 45 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, Some things to bring out here. First of all the word immediately. Scripture doesn’t say “Jesus told them to get in the boat when they wanted to.” Immediately was the word used and it shows that timing is important to Jesus. Jesus dismissed the crowd and went up on the mountain to pray, so prayer at that moment was needed. It says that later that night the position of the boat was in the middle of the lake and Jesus was alone on land. So, positioning is important as well. Jesus looked out across the lake and saw that the disciples were trying to keep going forward, but the force of the wind was making it tough going. He didn’t go immediately then, but just before dawn He went out to them and He was walking on the lake. Jesus had been watching their situation the whole time from shore and it says He was about to pass them. When I was a kid I remember us singing a song called Kumbaya. The song Kumbaya was first recorded in the 1920’s and then it was sung again and again at Scouting camps and other summer camps and became the “go to” campfire song. Kumbaya means “come by here.” In the above scripture we see a great application of the song Kumbaya as Jesus was about to pass by the men in the boat and they cried out. They didn’t cry out because they knew it was Him, but they cried out because they thought He was a ghost!!! Sometimes we miss Jesus ministering to us because we don’t recognize Him being near us and our fear gets the best of us. To some Christians and many lost people Jesus is just a ghostly figure from the past who doesn’t really have any power or presence in our world today. To me, Jesus is so real and I need him on a moment by moment basis, and I know He is there!!! Sadly enough those who don’t believe in a present Jesus miss the blessings of having Him calm the storms of their lives, and even when He does they don’t recognize it being Jesus at all. It almost shocks them when they see that Jesus is still active and moving in our lives, but He is doing it through the Holy Spirit. I witnessed to a guy once who said “I don’t really believe in all that mumbo jumbo in the Bible, so I can’t believe in that Jesus either.” Sadly, he rejected the opportunity to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. But, I believe my Bible and what it says, so I have no other choice but to believe that Jesus is still staying close by as we live life at it’s best and worst. And my prayer would be Kumbaya Lord, Kumbaya!!
The end to this Bible truth says that Jesus said, “Take courage. Don’t be afraid!” and got in the boat with them and the sea calmed down. Have you ever had a word from the Lord where He says to You “Calm down. Don’t be afraid. Take courage?” If you believe Jesus is just a ghost and don’t recognize He is a clear and present help in time of trouble then all He will ever be to you is that ghost or vapor. Psalm 46:1 My Jesus is close to me, and the Holy Spirit, who He left as a comforter and guide is in me, so that pretty well keeps Him close. Maybe you don’t feel like Jesus is close to you at all. It could be that when you kept Him at arms length so you didn’t get “too crazy” in this Christianity thing you set a pattern for keeping Him further and further from you. So Jesus is not close to you now and I have to ask “who moved.” Jesus is ready and wiling to get in the boat of your life and calm the waves that are beating against you. Maybe you just need to “recognize” Him and turn back to Him “immediately!” Whatever the case for you, if you know Jesus He is in with and in you and for you so don’t deny Him access to get in your boat. If he is speaking to you today and He is saying “make changes immediately.” You know what I would do? Make changes immediately!! In the same way the disciples were headed to a different shore when they got in the boat, you may need to head to another shore as well. Jesus is watching your progress too, so whatever He calls you to do will not be without His presence. You may ask “How do I begin?” Kumbaya….Kumbaya. Come by here Lord.
Maybe today you have read this blog and you feel like you want to converse with this “Unexpected Wave Walker.” BEGIN NOW…IMMEDIATELY! He will calm the waves in your life and even stay on the journey with you to the other side, but don’t ever doubt that He is right here with you because He is.
The Pilgrimage continues…..
David Warren