Really, Another Storm?
Watch or Listen to Video
Mark 6:45-52
This 3-minute video and devotion come from a message of the same title. There’s a link to the full message at the end of this devotion.
The Coming Storm
Have you ever felt like you’ve had enough? That you just can’t take one more storm, one more difficulty, one more crisis? And have you ever felt like instead of giving you a break, God has sent you into another storm? If you have, then you can relate to where the Disciples are today.
Mark 6:45-46 (NLT) 45 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.
Many of the disciples were seasoned fishermen. They most likely could sense the coming storm on the horizon.
If you are following Jesus, there will come a time when you are standing on the shore, and you know that God is sending you into rough waters; you can sense the storm coming, you can feel it in your bones. And at that moment, you must choose to either obey God or disobey God, and it will always be a defining moment in your life.
The Disciples had to make that same choice here. And they chose to obey Jesus and got into the boat and set out.
Mark 6:45-46 (NLT) 45 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.
Many of the disciples were seasoned fishermen. They most likely could sense the coming storm on the horizon.
If you are following Jesus, there will come a time when you are standing on the shore, and you know that God is sending you into rough waters; you can sense the storm coming, you can feel it in your bones. And at that moment, you must choose to either obey God or disobey God, and it will always be a defining moment in your life.
The Disciples had to make that same choice here. And they chose to obey Jesus and got into the boat and set out.
The Struggle
Mark 6:48(a) (NLT) 48 He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves . . .
Now the Disciples were in serious trouble in the middle of a lake that becomes a washing machine when a storm hits. They were rowing with everything they had to keep the boat from capsizing. This word “struggling” in verse 48 means they were being tortured by the wind and waves. Jesus had (again) sent them into a man-eating storm, and it looked like this one might take their lives.
And maybe you’ve been there. In the middle of a raging storm, in the dark of the night, thinking you’re about to slip under the waves, and you’re crying out, “Lord, where are you?” And maybe even, “Lord, you sent me here? How could you? And now, Lord, are you going to leave me here to die?”
Now the Disciples were in serious trouble in the middle of a lake that becomes a washing machine when a storm hits. They were rowing with everything they had to keep the boat from capsizing. This word “struggling” in verse 48 means they were being tortured by the wind and waves. Jesus had (again) sent them into a man-eating storm, and it looked like this one might take their lives.
And maybe you’ve been there. In the middle of a raging storm, in the dark of the night, thinking you’re about to slip under the waves, and you’re crying out, “Lord, where are you?” And maybe even, “Lord, you sent me here? How could you? And now, Lord, are you going to leave me here to die?”
Jesus Sees
Mark 6:48(a) (NLT) 48 He saw that they were in serious trouble…
Jesus SAW the Disciples in the storm the same way he sees you and me in our storm today! Jesus sees you in the circumstances you are in today. In the middle of the storms of your life, Jesus sees you – he knows right where you’re at. He has not lost track of you; he has not forgotten you.
Psalm 139 says there is no place you can go that the Spirit of God is not with you. And Romans 8 says there is nothing that can separate you from his love.
But maybe that raises another question for you. Now maybe you’re asking, “if Jesus sees me – if he knows I’m in this storm – why isn’t he stopping it?”
Maybe he hasn’t stopped it . . . because maybe it isn’t time.
Jesus SAW the Disciples in the storm the same way he sees you and me in our storm today! Jesus sees you in the circumstances you are in today. In the middle of the storms of your life, Jesus sees you – he knows right where you’re at. He has not lost track of you; he has not forgotten you.
Psalm 139 says there is no place you can go that the Spirit of God is not with you. And Romans 8 says there is nothing that can separate you from his love.
But maybe that raises another question for you. Now maybe you’re asking, “if Jesus sees me – if he knows I’m in this storm – why isn’t he stopping it?”
Maybe he hasn’t stopped it . . . because maybe it isn’t time.
The Timing
Mark 6:48(b) (ESV) 48 . . . And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea . . .
The fourth watch was from 3 am to 6 am. The fourth watch is the last watch, it’s just before dawn. It was the darkest part of the night, and the disciples were exhausted, discouraged, and wondering if they were going to survive.
But, Jesus saw the Disciples this entire time. He was watching over them, and when the time was right, Jesus showed up in the storm with them. Jesus met them in their storm, and he experienced their storm with them.
The Disciples were tormented by the storm, but Jesus was using the storm as pavement for his feet to reach the Disciples. And not just reach the Disciples. Jesus was using the storm to reveal himself to the Disciples in a way that he only could by walking on the storm they thought would kill them.
That is the authority that Jesus has over the storms of our lives.
The fourth watch was from 3 am to 6 am. The fourth watch is the last watch, it’s just before dawn. It was the darkest part of the night, and the disciples were exhausted, discouraged, and wondering if they were going to survive.
But, Jesus saw the Disciples this entire time. He was watching over them, and when the time was right, Jesus showed up in the storm with them. Jesus met them in their storm, and he experienced their storm with them.
The Disciples were tormented by the storm, but Jesus was using the storm as pavement for his feet to reach the Disciples. And not just reach the Disciples. Jesus was using the storm to reveal himself to the Disciples in a way that he only could by walking on the storm they thought would kill them.
That is the authority that Jesus has over the storms of our lives.
Authority
Jesus wants to use the storm in your life to reach you in a way that he could not otherwise reach you. And right in the midst of your storm, Jesus wants you to experience his authority as he walks on that storm to reach you!
Jesus wants to use this storm in your life for your good and for his glory. And Jesus wants to meet you in this storm, and reveal himself to you in this storm, in a way that he could not under any other conditions.
And, often, Jesus will wait until the last watch of the night, what seems like the darkest hour, to reach out and save you from drowning. Forever demonstrating his authority over your storms.
Jesus wants to use this storm in your life for your good and for his glory. And Jesus wants to meet you in this storm, and reveal himself to you in this storm, in a way that he could not under any other conditions.
And, often, Jesus will wait until the last watch of the night, what seems like the darkest hour, to reach out and save you from drowning. Forever demonstrating his authority over your storms.
Meet Jesus
Mark 6:50 (NLT)
50 They were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!”
In the midst of the storm, in the fourth watch, in the darkest hour of the night; Jesus steps into the storm with his Disciples, and he walks in authority, on that storm, to meet his disciples.
And he says to them – and to us – “Do not be afraid,” – “Take courage! – I am here!”
The answer to the storms in our lives is to meet Jesus there; as he steps into that storm with us, and he walks on that storm in his authority.
Mark 6:51(a) (NLT)
51 Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped . . .
Meet Jesus as he steps into your storm with you. Allow Jesus to use the storm in your life as pavement for his feet to reach you, and when you truly do, the wind and the waves will stop.
50 They were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!”
In the midst of the storm, in the fourth watch, in the darkest hour of the night; Jesus steps into the storm with his Disciples, and he walks in authority, on that storm, to meet his disciples.
And he says to them – and to us – “Do not be afraid,” – “Take courage! – I am here!”
The answer to the storms in our lives is to meet Jesus there; as he steps into that storm with us, and he walks on that storm in his authority.
Mark 6:51(a) (NLT)
51 Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped . . .
Meet Jesus as he steps into your storm with you. Allow Jesus to use the storm in your life as pavement for his feet to reach you, and when you truly do, the wind and the waves will stop.