Directly after this, Jesus made his disciples get aboard the boat and go on ahead to Bethsaida on the other side of the lake, while he himself sent the crowds home. And when he had sent them all on their way, he went off to the hillside to pray. When it grew late, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was by himself on land. He saw them straining at the oars, for the wind was dead against them. And in the small hours he went towards them, walking on the waters of the lake, intending to come alongside them. But when they saw him walking on the water, they thought he was a ghost, and screamed out. For they all saw him, and they were absolutely terrified. But Jesus at once spoke quietly to them, “It’s all right, it is I myself; don’t be afraid!” And he climbed aboard the boat with them, and the wind dropped. But they were scared out of their wits. They had not had the sense to learn the lesson of the loaves. Even that miracle had not opened their eyes to see who he was. Mark 6 v 45-52
After the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus instructed the disciples to make the return journey of about six miles, back by boat, from Bethsaida to Capernaum. But the weather turned against them. These hardy sailors were struggling against fierce wind and storm, were now in the middle of the lake, were in serious trouble, and making no progress. They were straining at the oars, fighting against a direct head wind, but making no advance. It would be a terrifying situation, rowing like crazy in the pitch black, making no headway or progress. Their muscles would strain and ache with the monumental effort of pulling on the oars.
From high up on the hillside, Jesus saw their struggles. He saw and came down to them, walking on the water. Jesus spoke peace to them.” I Am “is here. Do not fear. Jesus climbed on to the boat with them and the wind dropped.
We are often in situations where we feel that we are not making any headway. We are working impossibly hard, ‘straining at the oars’ and getting no further forward. We are up against it! We are fighting against the current and the tide. It may be that we need to lay down our oars. But as Jesus did with the disciples, Jesus sees our struggle, Jesus comes alongside, Jesus speaks quietly to us with words of peace and encouragement, and Jesus gets on board. Jesus may not come straight away, and He may turn up in surprising and unexpected ways- but He will come. It would be lovely if there were calm waters all the time, but this is not our reality. Be prepared for the storms, for they will surely come.
God’s wisdom is so deep, God’s power so immense,
who could take him on and come out in one piece?
He moves mountains before they know what’s happened,
flips them on their heads on a whim.
He gives the earth a good shaking up,
rocks it down to its very foundations.
He tells the sun, ‘Don’t shine,’ and it doesn’t;
he pulls the blinds on the stars.
All by himself he stretches out the heavens
and strides on the waves of the sea.
He designed the Big Dipper and Orion,
the Pleiades and Alpha Centauri.
We’ll never comprehend all the great things he does;
his miracle-surprises can’t be counted.
Somehow, though he moves right in front of me, I don’t see him;
quietly but surely he’s active, and I miss it. Job 9
PRAY
In our world, we are often straining against the world’s ways, culture and trends. Many things are against us. Jesus, come alongside and come on board. We need your peace and presence.
There are things that we cannot understand, and which are too painful to watch- the war in Ukraine, the suffering in your world. But You see and we ask you to come near.
Sometimes our struggles and hardships may be of our own making. We need to put down our oars.
Sometimes our projects and missions are not the ones that you intend for us. We need to put down our oars.
Sometimes life is just a struggle, we are ‘up against’ it all of the time and we are straining at the oars. Help us to let go of the controls.
Open our eyes to who you are. Amen