GOING NOWHERE
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father, as I meditate on your Word today, please use it to strengthen my faith and show me new reasons to follow the footsteps of Jesus with vison and confidence.
Read MARK 6:45–56
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Jesus Walks on the Water
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, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Are you rowing into a headwind, or is the wind in your sails right now? Reflect on these words: ‘When you pass through the waters, I will be with you’ (Isaiah 43:2).Jesus needed time alone with his Father (v. 46; see also 1:35). So do we. Up on the hillside, he could see his disciples straining on the oars. This is a wonderful picture of Jesus now. Risen and exalted, he sees when I am struggling. He is still interceding for us (Romans 8:34).
Jesus made his disciples go ahead without him. They weren’t in danger, but they were going nowhere. Sometimes we hit times when life is just hard going. Where is Jesus? Why doesn’t he deal with the headwinds that make life such a struggle? Despite the disciples’ situation, he intended to ‘pass by them’ (v. 48). To us, this is puzzling. However, a wider look at the Bible shows that Jesus had a bigger agenda than solving his disciples’ problems.
In his ‘passing by,’ Jesus wanted to show them his glory. God ‘passed by’ Moses (Exodus 33:19– 34:7) and Elijah (1 Kings 19:11, 12). Jesus did what only God can do (Job 9:8). But the disciples were characteristically blind to the revelation in front of them, just as they had been when Jesus fed the 5,000 (v. 52). Their progress was slow.
Apply
The Lord wants to reveal his glory to his people. For Moses, Elijah, and the disciples, he did this when life was challenging. Remember the Lord may have a bigger intention than making life easier for you.
Closing prayer
Son of God, it’s easy to acknowledge your presence in good times. Help me to trust that you are at work and cling to your promises when things are hard, frightening, and seeming hopeless.
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