Day 39 – Through the Storm

Read:  John 6:16-24; Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-51

That evening Jesus had not returned from the mountain where He had gone to escape the would-be kingmakers. Two other gospel writers tell us Jesus "made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him" (Matthew 14:22; Mark 6:45). No sooner had they left the shore than a strong wind began to make their trip impossible. Mark tells us Jesus "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" (Mark 6:48). It is impossible to know how long Jesus watched His friends struggle before He set out on his stroll across the sea. However long it was, it was certainly longer than the disciples would have liked. John tells us they had rowed for three or four miles in the terrible storm before they saw Jesus walking across the water.

It was no accident that Jesus sent the disciples alone into the approaching storm. He eventually demonstrated His power to calm the storm. But couldn't Jesus have done so from the shore when He first saw the disciples struggling? This sequence of events teaches would-be followers some valuable lessons. First, not only will Jesus send you directly into the storms of life, He may allow those storms to rage on while you struggle to reach your destination. Too often Christians live with the false expectation that following Jesus means a life of peace and security. They are discouraged to learn that not only do the storms of life persist; they may arise because of our decision to obediently follow Jesus. Twenty-first century Christians living in the West have a particularly difficult time with this reality.

Second, it can be difficult to see Jesus in the middle of a storm. All three accounts of this story tell us the disciples did not recognize Jesus as He approached the boat. We should never try to view God through the lenses of our circumstances. Instead, we must seek to understand our circumstances through the nature of God's character. Can you imagine what would have happened if the disciples had not let Jesus in the boat? 

Finally, Jesus' decision to walk through the storm reminds us that He does not always come to us on the beaches of our pleasure, but sometimes through the storms of our discomfort. We can become so preoccupied trying to survive the storm that we fail to see Jesus coming in the middle of it. If you only seek Jesus on the safety of the shore, you may think Him a "ghost" when He approaches in the midst of a storm.

Master of the Storm,

I do not understand why You allow the storms of life. I want to faithfully obey You, even when it means going into the raging sea. Give me the faith to see You through the swelling tides and torrential rains. Thank You for coming to me in the midst of my fear. I invite You to be the calm in the midst of my storm and carry me safely to the other shore.

Amen