TAKE COURAGE! JESUS SEES YOU

SCRIPTURE:

“Immediately 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.” (Mark 6:45—52 NIV)

OBSERVATION:

            In Mark 4, Jesus was in the boat with his disciples when the squall and waves started pounding on their boat.  The disciples were afraid and accused Jesus of not caring for them while they were about to perish.  The disciples have forgotten that Jesus is with them and, therefore, they must learn to rest, but they didn’t.

            Now, in this chapter, Jesus was not in the boat with the disciples in the lake when, again, they were straining at the oars because the wind was against them.  The problem wasn’t whether Jesus was with them in the boat physically or not at all.  The problem was that they were struggling with their own strength.  The disciples were hearts were hardened. 

            The disciple’s hearts were hardened because they saw so many miracles and treated them as common happenings.  There are times in our own lives when we take the goodness of God for granted.  It was Jesus who MADE the disciples get on the boat.  If Jesus made them get on the boat without him, they should’ve known that Jesus would be present with them even in his absence.  But I, too, would’ve been just like the disciples.  I often forget the miracles of Jesus in my life and forget his presence as well. 

 Things I learned from Jesus today:

• When he sent me to a place, his presence was with me.
• Jesus always prays for me…He is forever interceding for me as he did to Peter when Satan asked to sift him.  Jesus said to Peter, I pray for you that you will not fail. 
• I am never far away from Jesus to reach me
• Jesus SEES me in my struggles against the problems of life
• Jesus SEES me at all times of my life, whether it be in the morning, afternoon, or in the middle of the night.
• Jesus COMES to my rescue
• When Jesus enters my boat or life, He calms the trouble winds of life
• I must learn to guard my heart from hardening

APPLICATION:

            I am no different from the disciples who saw so many miracles of Jesus, and my heart can still harden.  I want to trust Jesus’ presence daily in my life.  I desire to trust him daily and to live with an awareness of his presence in me. 

PRAYER:

            Jesus, I ask that you continue to help me see that your presence is with me always.  Please forgive me for the times that my heart becomes hardened and full of unbelief.  Please help me not rely on my own strength but trust you as I face challenges in my life.  I look to you to open my eyes and see that you are everywhere with me.  In your name, Amen!