Surviving the Winds

Inviting Jesus into the boat can change everything.

I was recently reading the account of Jesus walking on water, found in Mark, Chapter 6:45-52. Jesus had just fed the five thousand. He sent the disciples off in a boat and He went up on a mountainside to pray.

I always find it interesting that Jesus saw the importance of quiet time alone to pray. The disciples were His dear friends and He clearly loved spending time with them and teaching them. He enjoyed community.

Yet, we find over and over in the Gospels, that He intentionally found quiet time not only away from the stress of the crowds, but also away from the companionship of His friends. I feel like there’s an important lesson in there for today’s busy, overscheduled, stressed, believers.

The passage says that when evening came, He was still on the land, but, “He saw that the disciples were straining at the oars because the wind was against them.” If you have ever been in any type of watercraft without a motor, then you are well aware of the importance of the wind and the fact, that you are at its mercy for the most part.

Who hasn’t felt at the mercy of the winds of life? There are times when we feel like the cold, heavy winds will never stop blowing on us. We wonder if we will ever get where we are going as we seem to strain at our own oars, just to keep from getting capsized.

So what did Jesus do when He saw them struggling? He walked on water out towards them.

The passage says that when the disciples saw Him, they were afraid that He was a ghost and they cried out. Turns out that it didn’t matter why they cried out, only that they did. When they openly admitted their fear, He told them, “Don’t be afraid,” which is often the message we get from Him when we are anxious and worried. Maybe we should take note.

Right after He told them not to fear, He climbed in the boat with them and then, and only then, did the wind die down. The text tells us that the disciples were amazed. They had just seen Him feed five thousand people and they were still amazed at His capabilities.

I wonder if we are doing any better today. We read the Bible. We know the stories, but do we truly believe? The Creator of the universe has limitless power. He is not bound by the laws of nature or anything else for that matter. He can still walk on water.

A familiar Bible story reminded me that whatever winds we may be facing, they are no match for Jesus, but we have to be willing to invite Him into the boat with us. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂