What is fear? If you looked it up in a dictionary you find that fear is “a feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the threat of danger”. The disciples felt agitation and anxiety because they thought, they were going to sink and drown. Jesus walked right into their fears and said, “It’s just me. Don’t be afraid.” What is it in your life that is causing you to be afraid? Jesus has a message for you today and it is the same, I’m here. Don’t be afraid.
And sometimes there is a contrary wind blowing in our faces. You are struggling against something and it seems like you have to take two steps back and one step forward. And because it was cloudy and dark, they couldn’t see the stars to determine their direction. Our fears are always magnified in darkness.
The disciples couldn’t see Jesus, but the good news was that Jesus could see the disciples. When you’re going through a dark struggle, you may look around and ask, God where are you? You can know that God sees you and God cares for you.
You may be wondering. If Jesus cared so much for the disciples, why did he let them go out into a storm? And why did I have to go through this terrible struggle? Jesus knew the storm was coming; in fact, he made them get into the boat. Jesus doesn’t pray for us to avoid the storms; he prays for us to endure the storm.
Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I, don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed. Mark 6:45-53
Written by Dr Charisse le Roux