AN EXERCISE IN CHEWING THE WORD
Questions to mull, slowly, listening.
v.45-Why did you, Jesus have to MAKE them get in the boat? Why the resistance? What didn’t they want to leave? Why did you send them ahead, without going with them? Have I resisted your instructions? When? What were my reasons?
v.46-What did you pray for yourself? For the disciples? For the crowd you left behind?
v.47-Did you enjoy being alone? Did you know a storm was coming? Were you watching them even as you prayed? Did they know you could see them?
v.48-Why did you wait so long before going? What was the purpose? Are you delaying at some point in my life now? Why? For what purpose? Why did you act like you would pass them? Wasn’t that mean? Would you have passed them, if they hadn’t see you?
v.49-Did the wind and storm make you look like a ghost? Are you somewhere in my life and I think you are a ghost? Have you appeared to me and I was terrified? Open my eyes to recognize you in my fear. Why didn’t they expect you to come? Increase my expectation of you.
v.50-At last you spoke! How many times did you tell them not to fear? And me? They just saw you feed thousands and so quickly they are terrified. Forgive me, as I am the same. Show me my point of terror. Are you there? Where? Passing?
v.51-Why were they so astounded? Was all this trauma because they did not get the real meaning of you feeding the crowd? What did they think of that miracle? Is that why they didn’t want to get into the boat? They wanted to stay and enjoying being a big-shot?
v.52-What have I misunderstood about you? Has that lack of understanding caused me trauma? Lord, Open my heart to get the real meaning of this event. Lead me in paths of truth. Don’t let me bend events or issues to suit my desires. Train me to search for you in my terror. Teach me to look at ghosts twice to see if it might be YOU.
Jesus walks on water.
Mark 6:45-52 (NIV)
45Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.
46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land.
48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them,
49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out,
50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,
52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.