JESUS IS IN MY BOAT

Large crowds followed Jesus wherever He went. They crowded around Him, bringing those who were sick, lame, blind, deaf. He healed their sick, he taught them with many parables, He even raised a few from the dead. His day was very busy, so busy He could not take time to speak with His mother and brothers. His ministry was intense with people clamoring at Him every moment. It was hard for Him to breath, He could barely hear anyone speak, He could hardly think. In fact earlier in the day the people had crowded around Him so much that He got into a boat and taught with parables out on the lake, just to get some space.

By evening He was worn out. His head hurt from all the noise and demands, His throat hurt from talking loudly so the crowds could hear Him, His feet hurt from standing all day, His heart hurt from seeing so much suffering. And yet He could do only so much. He was human after all.

He’d, had enough, the sun was setting, His belly was growling, He could barely keep His eyes open. He was human after all.

So, He told His disciples to get into the boat and row to the other side of the lake. As soon as the boat moved away from the shore Jesus, seeing a chance to catch a nap, laid down in the stern of the boat with his head on a pillow. Immediately He fell into a deep sleep. No tossing and turning, no twilight land, no dozing. As soon as His head hit the pillow He was sawing logs. He was human after all.

They left the crowds behind but some even followed in boats. Did no one see the dark clouds building? Didn’t anyone feel the wind as it built up speed? Did no one feel the waves becoming higher and higher? Or was it a sudden storm that just burst upon them before they knew what hit them?

A fierce storm that suddenly came up. Waves rose and broke over the bow, wind howled, rain poured down. It was sudden, it raged, it threatened their lives. So fierce was it, the boat began to fill with water, soon to swamp. And Jesus slept away in the bottom of the tossing, wet boat. He was human after all.

The disciples furled the sails, fought the oars and bailed the water, but nothing seemed to help. They would go down, they would sink, they would drown in the raging sea. The disciples, as I would have done, panicked. They yelled at Jesus but He didn’t hear them. One of them, Peter perhaps, struggled in the windswept, pitching boat to the back, shook Jesus and yelled above the wind. “We’re going to drown Teacher! Don’t you care?”

Jesus opened his eyes, sat up groggily, shook His head and looked about to see why they woke Him. He saw the water in the boat, the waves crashing over the sides, the 12 men, mouths agape, staring at the waves with wide eyes.

“Silence!” He yelled, “BE STILL!” He would really like to get some more sleep. After all He was human.

Suddenly, just like that, the wind stopped. The waves stilled. There was dead silence. The setting sun shone on the glassy lake.

Now, the 12 pairs of wide eyes were pinned on Him instead of the waves. Their mouths hung open in terror but not for their lives.

Looking around, Jesus asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith.” Do you still not believe who I am? Do you still not understand that I am fully human, yet I am God? Do you not trust that I will not leave you or forsake you, but will be with you always?

I am so much like those disciples. I can’t say that I blame them really, after all it was a very fierce storm and it threatened their lives. I would not want to be dumped into a raging, cold sea. So they tried to do what ever they could do to save themselves. They fought the waves and wind. They rowed like crazy. They put all their strength into the oars. They did all they could do, as if Jesus, the Miracle Worker, wasn’t sleeping in the boat. It didn’t work. The waves were swamping the boat. So they panicked. After all they were only human.

Exactly what I would have done. When a storm comes up sudden and fierce, I always do everything I can possibly do, on my own first. As if Jesus isn’t sleeping in the boat.

I fight, I put all my strength into it, I fret and plan. When that doesn’t work, I panic. Then when all seems hopeless and there is no other way, I call out to Jesus.

No wonder He says, “Are you still afraid? Don’t you know who I am? Don’t you know I am fully God? Don’t you know I am in your boat? Do you still have no faith?”

You see because Jesus was fully human, He understands us. He knows what makes us tick. He knows what makes our hearts pound in fear. He knows what makes our knees weak. He knows how we get tired. He knows how our bodies hurt. He knows. And he understands. He sees our tears. In fact, He puts them in a bottle.

Yet He is fully God so He has the power to comfort, to guide, to give blessing, to bring peace. He is the Mighty Creator, the God of the Universe, the Miracle worker and the Way Maker.

He will never leave me or forsake me.

He is always in my boat waiting for me to call on Him.

Taken from Mark 4:35-41