ONE MORE STORM AT SEA

MUSINGS- October 15, 2018

ONE MORE STORM AT SEA

Mark 6:45-52

Jesus quickly made his disciples get into a boat and cross to Bethsaida ahead of him while he sent the people away. After saying goodbye to them, he went up a mountain to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. Jesus saw that they were in a lot of trouble as they rowed, because they were going against the wind. Between three and six o'clock in the morning, he came to them. He was walking on the sea. He wanted to pass by them. When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought, "It's a ghost!" and they began to scream. All of them saw him and were terrified. Immediately, he said, "Calm down! It's me. Don't be afraid!" He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped blowing. The disciples were astounded. (They didn't understand what had happened with the loaves of bread. Instead, their minds were closed.)

Once more Jesus send his disciples across the sea. If you'll recall, the last time he was with them, when the storm arose, and they were terrified. He called them cowards for their lack of faith. (Mark 4:35-41)

This time, after feeding and teaching the 5,000, here stayed behind to pray. The disciples were alone and battling the sea and the wind.

Here is the part I've overlooked every other time I've read this passage: from his view point on the mountain, Jesus could see that they were having trouble. That was in the evening. However, he waited until early morning to take his stroll through the waves. And then ... and then, "He wanted to pass by them."

It appears to me that, though he was watching over them, it was his intent that they continue to struggle under their own power ... or use the power here had given them. The author said that they still did not understand, that their minds were closed.

How many storms in our lives do we have to go through before our minds are opened and we understand what Jesus had been teaching us?

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