The Eye of the Storm

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

John 6:16-21

Jesus could have commanded the winds and the waves to cease from the mountain where He was praying. I have no doubt that he knew - could possible even see - that His disciples were in trouble in the midst of the storm. Jesus could have calmed the storm from the mountainside. He could have just uttered His word, and all would have been calm. He could have stayed where He was. But instead, He walked out into the middle of the storm. That is the kind of Savior I have! He wasn’t content to perform His miracle from a distance and from the relative safety and security of the mountainside. No, Jesus actually identified with the disciples in the midst of the storm and He went to them walking through the wind and rain. He walked on the water! A miraculous and extraordinary demonstration of His glory and power! But - while filled with glory, Jesus was also a man. I imagine His face and hair wet and His clothes being battered by the winds and waves - but He walked on top of the water, never once even beginning to sink, until He reached His disciples.

I think that - at least in part - what this miracle story teaches me is that I serve a God who is prepared to walk into the very eye of the storm to be with and to rescue His child. There’s something deeply moving that Jesus would actually walk into the storm to reach His disciples, not only to demonstrate His glory and power, but to demonstrate His compassion and His willingness to identify with us in our deepest pain - in our deepest fears - in our deepest troubles. He not only calms in the storm, but He gets in the boat!

A Miraculous Picnic

The story of Jesus feeding 5,000 is a familiar one - and, unfortunately, in our familiarity I think we sometimes miss Jesus. I've heard this story dozens of times, but in reading it this morning I "heard" two verses that I'm not sure I have ever really heard before -

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. John 6:5-6

Jesus looked out at the thousands who had gathered and he had compassion on them! He wanted to feed them - to provide for their physical comfort and nourishment. He KNEW how he would provide enough to satisfy, but - his disciples didn't - and wanted to test them. But Philip couldn't see past the logistics. He answered "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" He failed Jesus' test. Next up was Andrew - "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" And Andrew also failed.

What would I have said? Would I have remembered that Jesus has always compassionately and graciously provided for my every need and more? Would I have been able to see outside the circumstances and past the logistics? Would I have remembered - if I had been there as the disciples were - that Jesus had turned water into wine? As much as I would like to think that I would, I know that I am as guilty as Philip and Andrew were that day. The same sovereign provision and loving care of Jesus has been abundantly present in my life - and yet I still lack faith. I believe that God tests us for two reasons - two show us our inadequacy and His sufficiency.

But Jesus did not rebuke his disciples for their lack of faith. Instead, he lovingly told the people to sit down in the grass. And Jesus fed the thousands of hungry people that were gathered there - they "ate all they wanted" and they were satisfied.

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus...O for grace to trust Him more!

Verse of the Day

"You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."

Psalm 4:7-8

"Those only can be truly and perfectly happy who are interested in the favour of God, and they ought to live as strangers and pilgrims in the world, in order through hope and patience to obtain, in due time, a better life. Although the faithful also desire and seek after their wordly comforts, yet they do not pursue them with immoderate and irregular ardour; but can patiently bear to be deprived of them, provided they know themselves to be objects of the divine care."

John Calvin, Heart Aflame

Verse of the Day

"And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times" Psalm 12:6

"God promises nothing in vain, or for the purpose of disappointing man. God is not deceitful, He does not delude or beguile us with empty words, and He does not magnify beyond all measure either His power or His goodness, but whatever He promises in word He will perform in deed...Whenever He delays His assistance, we murmor and in essence call into question His promises - but, there is no greater truth than that God is true. It is, therefore, highly necessary for us to cut off the occasion of our distrust; and whenever any doubt respecting the faithfulness of God's promises steal in upon us, we ought immediately to lift up against it this shield - that the words of the Lord are pure."

John Calvin, Heart Aflame