A Boatload of Trouble

 

And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

—Matthew 14:33

The disciples had just helped feed 5,000 people near the Sea of Galilee (or Lake of Gennesaret). They must have been tired. However, Matthew 14:22 relates that Jesus told them to get into a boat and go across the Sea to Bethsaida. By the time they reached about half way, they had a “Mid-trip Crisis.” A furious storm came up, and because the wind blew against them, they strained at the oars. Have you ever felt you were “straining at the oars” against a storm in which someone else had involved you?

To make this even harder to understand, as He waited on shore, Jesus could see them in this predicament. And, for reasons that only He would understand, He waited—until sometime between 3:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.—to go to their aid out on the Sea. Instead, Jesus stayed where He was and prayed.

This story contains the miracle of Jesus walking on the water and terrifying the disciples as He came alongside them. His words must have brought great relief to these hardened fishermen, who saw many storms on this Sea. He spoke to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then He climbed into the boat and the wind died down. John 6:20 adds that:

Immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

Jesus may leave us in the boat straining at the oars for a period of time way beyond what we think our strength can bear. He wants to build our endurance and our faith. But, what sweet relief we feel when we know He has come to us and joined us in the storm. He can speak peace to us in that terrible place. And, what is more, He can help us immediately get to our destination.

When we feel that God has left us alone in the storm, we can be assured by this story that He watches us and prays for us like He did for the disciples. We can have confidence to keep going until such time as He reaches us and climbs into our boat!