Recognizing The Lord in the Midst of a Storm

Sometimes you can spend all the time in the world with God and still not recognize Him. Why is that? We have all been there - done it - and come away scratching our heads when it is over.

You gotta love those disciples. One particular day the apostles returned to Jesus after their tour of ministry. Everyone was so tired. Jesus said to them, "Let's get away from the crowds for a while and rest." (Mark 6: 31) As a pastor's wife I can certainly understand the need for those moments of sweet rest.

Of course we all know the story, a crowd gathered and the end result was the feeding of five thousand with five loaves of bread. "Immediately after this, Jesus made his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray." (Mark 6: 45-46)

At some point in the middle of the night, a storm hit and Jesus saw that the disciples were in "serious trouble" on the lake. They were "rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves." (Mark 6: 48) Isn't it amazing how that very thing happens to us in life? Without warning storms hit - we panic and begin to struggle just like the disciples.

The Bible doesn't say that the disciples actually called out for Jesus. What would you do? I am sure they called out something or maybe they were too busy fighting the waves and trying to stay in the boat.

About 3:00am Jesus came to the disciples walking on water. This is the part I love because it truly hits home. "When they (the disciples) saw him walking on the water, they screamed in terror, thinking that he was a ghost. They were all terrified when they saw him." (Mark 6: 49-50)

I'm laughing. I guess it would startle me too. After all Jesus didn't tell them he could walk on water. What really hit home for me was the fact that the disciples could spend every waking moment with Jesus, travel with him throughout the country, see his miracles, hear his teachings, and still not recognize him during a storm. Does that sound familiar?

Sometimes when we are in the midst of the storm, struggling and working hard against it, God is not so obvious when he shows up. In fact it startles us at first. Our eyes are some other place. But when we hear, "It's all right. I am here! Don't be afraid." (Mark 6: 50) and Jesus climbs in the boat with us - then we see the storm calm, the seas settle, and the boat stops rocking. Once again we are astonished - just like the disciples.

God will show up in the midst of your storms, He will climb in the boat with you, and He will either ride the storm out with you or he will settle it - either way know that God is there. God is there whispering . . . "It's all right. I am here! Don't be afraid."