Yesterday morning I did my quiet time in Mark, chapter 6. It's a
familiar story, and honestly one that has been talked about over and
over and over. But sometimes the Lord speaks in a NEW way from an old
passage! And He did to me this day!
Mark 6. The story of the disciples in the boat and Jesus walking on water to save them from peril.
Verse 50 says this, "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!'"
I love the way the Message reads, "Jesus was quick to comfort them, 'Courage! It's me! Don't be afraid!'"
And we so often become fixated on the "take courage" part of this verse. Well... because truthfully it's the important message nestled among God's words here. In fact the Message version calls the courage out! "Courage!" He calls the courage OUT of His students!
But I want to focus on something else today.
The words Jesus says, "It's Me!" "I am here!"
When I was laying in the hospital room following my surgery last week I was in SO much horrific pain that I have no words to describe it. When they couldn't get the pain under control for what seemed like an eternity, I finally had to calm myself down because the pain from crying made my stomach muscles ache that much more. And as I calmed myself down I began to say the only words I knew to say... the only words I could muster with the small amount of strength I had left, "I can do hard things." and "Thank you Jesus. You are good."
I heard the voice of Jesus in the wilderness. He called the courage out of me in that moment of despair, and with what little bravery I had I began praising Him and reciting life over my circumstances. And let me tell you - when you can get a glimpse of Jesus saying "It's Me! I am here!" everything changes!
Jesus silences our fears by making Himself known to us in our deepest, darkest places. In fact I heard it again this week, "We rest in the shadow of the God Almighty, and sometimes when it's the darkest, is because He is the nearest!"
We see hard situations and we get fearful. It's human nature to fear. But Jesus is calling us from the wind and rain and says, "It's Me! I'm here!"
We've got to see past the situation to our Savior.
He's there!
We've got to say, "I'm not looking at you, problem, I'm looking for Jesus! I KNOW He's here!"
The other thing that stood out to me was that He spoke COURAGE ("Take courage!") before the wind stopped. Not vice versa. He didn't calm the seas and THEN tell them to not fear. He offers the taking of courage in the MIDST of the storm!
And what does this tell me? It tells me there's something more special about the relationship I have with Jesus than the remedy and relief He sends.
Relationship before Remedy.
Ahh yes! It's what He calls us to. Depend on the relationship before you depend on the answers I give to the situations that you least desire.
The fear of those disciples disappeared when the presence of the Jesus increased and they realized that He had come to rescue them. And not calm the waters first... but calm their worry about it first!
Oh friends... He is always rounding the bend to accomplish deliverance for us!
"It's Me! I'm here!"
He's calling to you today.... and saying... "Once you focus on me everything else fades away! All worry falls off! Look TO Me... Look FOR Me!"
My commentary suggest that we are to "recognize Christ more vividly in our troubles, because the storm is terrible by appearance only."
"If Christ be for us, who (OR WHAT) can be against us?"
All of our anxieties should subside at the sound of His voice!
And the other thing that is worth mentioning here is this... the disciples had obeyed the Lord when He told them to get the boat and cross the lake to Bathsaida while He sent people home and went off to be alone to pray (verses 45-46).
Obedience often doesn't make sense. Perhaps the students of Christ didn't understand the reason for the request, but they had been commanded, and for them, that was reason enough to obey. Reason is often camouflaged for the Christ-follower.. and SO many times duty opposes our preferences; but the lesson the Lord teaches us in times of surrendered obedience offers us the greatest level of nearness to the Father!
I wrote this in my journal 2 days ago, and I have been reviewing it since:
Jesus was teaching so much more here than meets the eye! He was teaching that obedience is the best kind of nearness! Because of their obedience, the students of Christ benefited from His deliverance! His temporary absence doesn't indicate His unwillingness to rescue or His disinterest in our pain. He's teaching us to ever be looking TO Him, and FOR Him.
I end it here with this commentary that I loved...
"Jesus' care remains steady. If it be dark and He has not yet arrived, we may always be certain it is because He pauses among the trees to pray. We are to keep working and watching. For when He sees we are ready to receive Him, He will start directly towards us on the sea."
I love you friends!
Oh and how I pray you take all of this in today and soak in His presence!
He is madly, deeply, crazy in love with you!!!
<3
Wendy
Verse 50 says this, "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!'"
I love the way the Message reads, "Jesus was quick to comfort them, 'Courage! It's me! Don't be afraid!'"
And we so often become fixated on the "take courage" part of this verse. Well... because truthfully it's the important message nestled among God's words here. In fact the Message version calls the courage out! "Courage!" He calls the courage OUT of His students!
But I want to focus on something else today.
The words Jesus says, "It's Me!" "I am here!"
When I was laying in the hospital room following my surgery last week I was in SO much horrific pain that I have no words to describe it. When they couldn't get the pain under control for what seemed like an eternity, I finally had to calm myself down because the pain from crying made my stomach muscles ache that much more. And as I calmed myself down I began to say the only words I knew to say... the only words I could muster with the small amount of strength I had left, "I can do hard things." and "Thank you Jesus. You are good."
I heard the voice of Jesus in the wilderness. He called the courage out of me in that moment of despair, and with what little bravery I had I began praising Him and reciting life over my circumstances. And let me tell you - when you can get a glimpse of Jesus saying "It's Me! I am here!" everything changes!
Jesus silences our fears by making Himself known to us in our deepest, darkest places. In fact I heard it again this week, "We rest in the shadow of the God Almighty, and sometimes when it's the darkest, is because He is the nearest!"
We see hard situations and we get fearful. It's human nature to fear. But Jesus is calling us from the wind and rain and says, "It's Me! I'm here!"
We've got to see past the situation to our Savior.
He's there!
We've got to say, "I'm not looking at you, problem, I'm looking for Jesus! I KNOW He's here!"
The other thing that stood out to me was that He spoke COURAGE ("Take courage!") before the wind stopped. Not vice versa. He didn't calm the seas and THEN tell them to not fear. He offers the taking of courage in the MIDST of the storm!
And what does this tell me? It tells me there's something more special about the relationship I have with Jesus than the remedy and relief He sends.
Relationship before Remedy.
Ahh yes! It's what He calls us to. Depend on the relationship before you depend on the answers I give to the situations that you least desire.
The fear of those disciples disappeared when the presence of the Jesus increased and they realized that He had come to rescue them. And not calm the waters first... but calm their worry about it first!
Oh friends... He is always rounding the bend to accomplish deliverance for us!
"It's Me! I'm here!"
He's calling to you today.... and saying... "Once you focus on me everything else fades away! All worry falls off! Look TO Me... Look FOR Me!"
My commentary suggest that we are to "recognize Christ more vividly in our troubles, because the storm is terrible by appearance only."
"If Christ be for us, who (OR WHAT) can be against us?"
All of our anxieties should subside at the sound of His voice!
And the other thing that is worth mentioning here is this... the disciples had obeyed the Lord when He told them to get the boat and cross the lake to Bathsaida while He sent people home and went off to be alone to pray (verses 45-46).
Obedience often doesn't make sense. Perhaps the students of Christ didn't understand the reason for the request, but they had been commanded, and for them, that was reason enough to obey. Reason is often camouflaged for the Christ-follower.. and SO many times duty opposes our preferences; but the lesson the Lord teaches us in times of surrendered obedience offers us the greatest level of nearness to the Father!
I wrote this in my journal 2 days ago, and I have been reviewing it since:
Jesus was teaching so much more here than meets the eye! He was teaching that obedience is the best kind of nearness! Because of their obedience, the students of Christ benefited from His deliverance! His temporary absence doesn't indicate His unwillingness to rescue or His disinterest in our pain. He's teaching us to ever be looking TO Him, and FOR Him.
I end it here with this commentary that I loved...
"Jesus' care remains steady. If it be dark and He has not yet arrived, we may always be certain it is because He pauses among the trees to pray. We are to keep working and watching. For when He sees we are ready to receive Him, He will start directly towards us on the sea."
I love you friends!
Oh and how I pray you take all of this in today and soak in His presence!
He is madly, deeply, crazy in love with you!!!
<3Wendy
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