Introduction:
Long days of chill had passed when many parts of the world were filled with raucous cheering and strident reveling to celebrate, once again, the best yet conclusive events of the past year – Christmas and New Year. A plethora of jolly greetings filled the air – at homes, marketplaces, parks, street corners, walkways…. everywhere. It all jubilantly culminated to the two festive nights (with only one week apart) of celebrations – Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Those two nights were stuffed with fun, foods and fellowships at so much excess. Name it… it’s literally more than enough. Felt like heaven on earth, even just for two days, a week apart. But then, after a week or two, we’re back to face life’s reality – more often than not, hard realities. The lights of past celebrations have dimmed; its warmth has chilled, it seems.
The elated disciples of Jesus went through the same atmosphere. It was only on the early evening before when they saw with their own eyes, tasted with their own tongue, got stuffed in their own belly, a grand picnic only God can prepare. They even had an awesome experience of collecting a bulk of leftovers, far exceeding the five loaves of bread and two fish that Jesus miraculously multiplied in a spectacular manner to feed a throng of 5,000 men, plus women and children. They must have exclaimed, “Life with Jesus is really cooool!”
Good times don’t last a lifetime. If you are a Christian believer reading this succinct article and you feel that you are among the regretful ones musing over the warmth of success in the yesteryears, but recently have had your world turned upside down… I want you to read through… thoughtfully and prayerfully. In the recent past, friends were many, finances were healthy, and fellowship was lively. And now, everything that is relentlessly happening around you is literally the contrast. You may be remorsefully assuming that you made a big mistake, and what you are currently going through is an exacting reprisal. Maybe you did, but God never made a mistake. My friend, don’t regret, don’t fret, and don’t you ever quit. You are simply facing the hard realities of life – so to speak! There’s no telling when it will be over.
The passage that we read in our text portrays a totally opposite scenario. The grand picnic is over. The twelve were facing the hard realities of their life – straining at the oars; against an opposing strong wind. In times that we are at head-on collision with the hard realities of life, our text passage provides us with Biblical truths that would keep us going, and going really strong.
1. First…… Jesus is Watching Over us!
Mark 6:48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them….
How often that we feel sad, despondent and alone. Sometimes even our acts of obedience would bring us to a pointblank where we don’t feel the Lord’s presence. That doesn’t change the scriptural truth that His eyes are upon the sparrow. In the same way, His eyes are upon us, too. Jesus sees our every move.
a. Every time we Take a Step in Life.
Life has its own Plans and Purposes. Planning one’s life and future is not bad at all. Actually, I strongly recommend that we all do. Knowing that the all-wise Lord knows our motives and sees our initiatives should make us feel safe and secure in planning our future and setting our goals. Prov. 16:9 “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.”
b. Each time we Face a Struggle in Life.
Life has its own Problems and Pains. What make life much more challenging are not our mountaintop experiences – during moments that we feel we are on top-of-the-world. Surprisingly enough, most of the ostensibly rocket-ride life encounters are masked indicators of a looming downfall. It’s our draining experiences and situations down-in-the-valley that pose greater challenges. But take note, it is in the flat-dark-and-cold valley that crops are produced. Fruitfulness is best manifest in the valley, though darkened under the shadow of nearby towering mountains early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
Illustration:
Coaching is a challenging task. Many times a game is won, not because of the efforts of skillful athletes but by the wise game plans of the coach. A good coach knows the strength and weakness of his team. In the same way, he also knows the strength and weakness of their opponents. To achieve that knowledge, a coach would need to spend hours and long hours familiarizing with the skills of his team members, as well as the skills of the opposing team. And on that knowledge he draws his game plans.
The Lord Jesus is our heavenly coach. He knows our weaknesses even before we admit it. He knows our strengths even before we even realize it. When life seems tough and we feel like all our efforts are drained without realizing a minuscule hint of fruition; when there is nobody who seem to cast a bit of concern on our situations; when all our friends seem to have hoisted the white flag or have thrown-in the towel; stop and know – Jesus is watching over us!
Psalms 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;
2. Second… Jesus is Walking Beside us!
Mark 6:48, 49 ….. 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,
Man was undoubtedly created in a design of partnership. Everyone needs someone to stand as a fellow in times of joy and a friend in times of jeopardy. It is a strong encouragement just to realize that someone is there for us. In our daily toils, a gentle pat of affirmation on our shoulder is a rocket-boost to our passion. In an unlike manner, yet similar effect, a crisp slap of confrontation on our cheek is a wake-up call to our inattention. Jesus is a constant, yet unseen, presence by our side.
a. Every Moment that we are Stressed!
Man is naturally Weak and Feeble. We can rely on our credentials, earned skills and experiences, yet we can’t seem to land into a decent job. Our robust financial status may seem to serve as an economic leaning wall but it is no guarantee that we will never face liquidity problems. Life is like a wheel, they say. Sometimes, I agree. The truth is that all of us are vulnerable to stress. You could have been flying beneath the wings of anointing in the not-so-distant past but now, frantically clambering with your hands and feet trying to get out of the exhausting pit of stress. You don’t need to look over your shoulders hopelessly. Close your eyes and believe in your heart that Jesus is by your side.
b. Each Moment that we are Scared!
Man is prone to Worry and Fear. We could have been living our lives at a routine rhythm, yet with all the chronic anxieties that come along with the droning of our threatening circumstances, we are cyclically dragged down into the abyss of worry and fear. Many times in the past, and we cannot deny, that God repeatedly delivered us from our grinding situations. But still, when we face a new burden of similar, probably lesser adverse impact, we allow ourselves to be weighed down by those old-model worry and fear. We get scared. That’s human. That is why Jesus, whether you sense it or not, comes walking by our side.
Illustration:
During WW2, two young Jews lived as close friends, (BFF, we can call them), more than real brothers in a dingy Nazi concentration camp jammed with helpless-hopeless-exhausted-abused Jews. They shared everything, literally everything. One day, one of them felt weak and started to loose weight noticeably. His malnourished body deteriorated until he can no longer perform his daily assigned errands. He knew what does that mean – death in a gas chamber. That night, his boorish Nazi guards advised him not to report to work the following day. He lied down on his worn out couch scared and alone. He was unable to sleep even for a second. Morning broke and he was dragged into a line of queasy people, young and old, men and women. But on that lethargic line he saw his friend with a grim face yet with a smile of empathy. Before he can say a word his friend said, “I’ve walked with you through life; I’m going to walk with you to death”
The Lord Jesus did far more than that. He willingly walked through the agony of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane so that we can wonderfully walk through the ecstasy of praise. He humbly followed the pathway of disgrace, the walkway of “via dolorosa”, so that we can happily fly through the skyway of grace, the airway of “via soteria”. If you have not committed your life to Jesus, it wouldn’t change the fact that He is walking by your side, telling you, “I am the Savior of your life!”. If you have committed your life to Jesus and are currently undergoing the fiercest storm of life, Jesus is walking by your side, telling you, “I am the Author of your life!”
Mat 28:20 …. And I am with you always, even to the end of the world."
3. Third... Jesus is Working Within us!
Mark 6:50 - 52 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, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
The disciples might have been overwhelmed by the miraculous feeding of the five thousand men, plus women and children earlier that evening. But they seemed to be unwittingly oblivious to the very purpose of the miracle. It was not about what the Lord Jesus was able to do for them and around them. It’s more than that. Miracles are performed, of course by God alone, not on the reason of just making a spectacular show of God’s power.
a. Every Word of Jesus Calls us to Trust.
God wants us to Realize who is in Charge. When the disciples were exhausted yet were not making any significant progress in their plight, not even a slight nudge of the boat, Jesus came by with those powerful words, “Fear not, it is I”. Our Christian life is craftily honed by our personal relationship with the Lord, not inadvertently shaped by divergent circumstances. Our spiritual status, and its growth, is firmly founded on the Rock, and how we submissively respond to the very words of the Lord Jesus. His assuring words are not only meant to offer peace and comfort during turbulent days. They are intended to instill in us faith to go through stormy days.
b. Each Work of Jesus Causes us to Think.
God wants us to Analyze what needs Change. The moment Jesus got into the wave-battered fishing boat, things changed abruptly. There was an instant calm. What a change of ambience. Like the depleted disciples of Jesus, we tend to implore a divine intervention purposely to revolutionize our life situation, or probably, at least, to redo and unmake our unpleasant conditions. God can absolutely change the world in a snap of fingers. I have no doubt about it. And He can dramatically change our circumstances in a blink of an eye. But there is one thing that God prefers to be transformed in our lives – our perspective of life, an outgrowth of our attitude in life. It was more awesome and inspiring for me to read that when Jesus got into the boat bobbling to and fro, the winds blew stronger and the waves battered the boat more furiously but there was tremendous calm in the hearts of the disciples. That is what God wants changed, I firmly believe.
Illustration:
A retired Vietnamese in his mid-forties lived alone in his hut by the sea. He made both ends meet by fishing a little and growing few vegetables in his backyard garden. He made use of his meager monthly pension to purchase other necessary commodities for his sustenance. He believed in God, although not so passionately. After several months living alone, he got sorely bored. He thought of a life change. He prayed. He asked God to guide him to a hidden treasure so that his life would change for the better. He even promised that he would commit to serve God more if he found a treasure. He was engrossed by that prayer for few months. One night in his dream, he heard a voice from heaven. The voice said, “You’ve been praying for a treasure, haven’t you?”. The man answered, “I have, and still am praying for it”. The voice said again, “Look to the sea and tell me what’s on your sight.” The astonished man replied, “A huge rock close to the shore with some greens and few bushes on top”. “Correct”, the voice gently answered. “When the tide recedes tomorrow morning, go push the rock”, the voice said in a thundering tone. The man woke up. He looked to the sea and, presto, a massive rock on his sight. He cogitated over his dream and thought, “So, under that rock is where the treasure is”. As quick as the ebb tide, he went to the rock and started pushing it. He pushed it with all his might, forward, sideward, backward, using his hands, feet, shoulders and back. The rock didn’t move even a millimeter. Exhausted, he stopped. The sea level started to rise. With a sign of stern determination on his sweaty face, he muttered, “I’ll gather strength and be back to push this thing again tomorrow, when the tide ebbed”. He pushed the rock everyday for a couple of hours during ebb tide, after he’s done with his daily chores fishing and gardening a little. Days became weeks, and weeks turned to months. He had his imagination on an old pirate vault of treasure. Seasons passed and before he realized it, he’d been pushing that enormous rock, double the size of his hut, for almost two years. But the rock remained immovable. One day, after his routine pushing of the rock, a cold wind of discouragement blew on his sweaty face. Bewildered, he thought, “What in the world am I doing for almost two years? Pushing this gigantic rock and not even sure if there is really treasure buried under it. Besides, this is so massive for me to move even just an inch. I’d better call it off, take rest, sleep and do some other things tomorrow”. He went home tired and slept. In his dream, he heard the same voice that he heard almost two years ago. “Why did you decide to stop pushing the rock?” the voice said, accompanied by gently crashing waves on the shore. “So, it’s you again”, the man grudgingly replied. “I’ve been pushing that rock for almost two years. It’s too huge for me to nudge even just an inch. Besides, how can I be so sure if there is really hidden treasure under it.”, he complained. “I did not tell you to move the rock. I told you to push the rock. And who told you there is hidden treasure under it?” the voice chided the man. The voice reprovingly continued, “You wanted hidden treasures. I gave you real treasures. Look at your hands now, they’re callous and sturdy. Look at your arms, shoulders, legs, chest, and back…. They’re hard and sinewy. These are the treasures that I want you to have - treasures that no man can take away. Now, you can improve your livelihood. Go, plant more and fish more. You’re stronger now than the first time I visited you.”
Some people mistakenly thought that God resembles a celestial genie that would come granting us with few unlimited wishes. Sometimes we thought that God is so much concerned with the magnitude of work that He can accomplish through us, when in fact He is more concerned with the attitude of work that He can embellish in us. His words and works are focused essentially in the gradual transformation within us so that we can consequently focus on the eventual reformation around us. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Rom. 8:28.
Philippians 1:6 And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.
Conclusion:
We inevitably face hard realities of life, daily. That’s a frightening fact. And when we are at the outset…. we start something, then we strategize, we tend to struggle, sometimes, if not always, we strain. In all these challenging phases of life, some Biblical truths are sure anchors and bedrock foundations of our faith.
If you have not committed your life to Jesus and presently feeling like you are alone in this world; if you are a new believer but confused because lately you found that things have worsened; if you have been a believer for a while but recently gone astray in pursuit of something unknown; if you are a church worker but you seem to not realize any positive outcome in your endeavors; if you are a church leader but struggling to put your ministry in a pleasing equilibrium – whatever hard realities of life you are facing right now…. Don’t quit. Go for it! Remember always: Jesus is Watching Over us! Jesus is Walking Beside us! And, Jesus is Working Within us! These truths make us going… even when the going gets tough…or gets tougher…even it gets toughest…
