Having eaten the bread that Jesus
provided, the Jews wanted to take Jesus away to make Him king. Realizing their
intention, He immediately retreated into the mountain to spend time alone.
Before He did that He sent his disciples, by boat, to Capernaum on the other
side of the Sea of Galilee. The disciples went, not realizing that they were
heading into the eye of a storm. The Sea of Galilee is actually a Lake. And we all
have learned from our geography lesson that storms never occur on a lake. Have
you ever wondered why then on the Sea of Galilee, which is a lake, there could
be a storm? Well it’s because of the landscape and structure of the
surrounding. The Sea of Galilee is surrounded by highland hence making it a huge
funnel. Whenever a strong gush of wind blow through, it will get trapped between
the highlands, creating turbulence in the water of the Sea. The disciples were caught
in such a situation.
Verse 17 tells us that it was
already getting dark. Speaking about the same incident, Matthew 14:25 tells us
that it was about the fourth watch of the night which is between three to six o’clock
in the morning. At this time the sky is the darkest. John 6:19 tells us that they
had been rowing for about three or four miles against the storm. We can imagine
them struggling and straining at the oars of the boat. In the passage, we are
told that Jesus was not there for He had not yet come. Isn’t it true that when
we are facing the darkest hour of life, the Lord seems to be far away, or so we
think. Do you know that Jesus was watching them as they struggled? How do we
know? Again narrating the same incidence, Mark 6:48, tells us that Jesus was
watching them as they were struggling with the waves. He saw everything. Unknown
to them at that point, He was on a higher ground and was watching them all
along. Much like the disciples, we must realize that Jesus is watching us as we
struggle and battle the fiercest storm of our life. It’s comforting to know
that He lives to make intercession for us.
At that precise moment, when their
strength was failing, Jesus showed up. But their eyes were too focused on the storm
that they could not recognize the Lord. Isn’t this very true of us too. We may
be so caught up in the deep embroil of our emotion that we could miss Jesus in the
midst of our trying circumstances. We may be so drowned by so many bad news and
adversities, one after another, that we failed to realize the proximity of
Jesus in those trying moments. Like what the disciples were facing, Jesus will
come walking to us on the water of our own storm. He will say the same words He
said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” The reason He came to them walking on
the water was to signal to them and us, that the storm that threatens to take
our life, is under His feet. He is the Lord of the storm. A careful observation
will tell us that there was another miracle here. Verse 21 tells us that once
they were willing to receive Him into the boat, immediately, they were at the
place where they should be. They could be so caught up with worshiping Him and
not realized that they were exactly where they must be. It is truly wonderful
to be totally preoccupied with our Lord.
It is inevitable that life will
bring along with it contrary wind. The comforting truth is that Jesus knows and
sees each struggle we encounter. Just as our strength is failing us, He will
show up. The darkness and the storm cannot stay to overwhelm us, longer than it’s
allowed. We need to know that whatever storm that threatens to bring us down is
under His feet. It has always been the case. He is the Lord of the storm! Why don’t
we invite Him into our boat and let Him ride with us through our storm?
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