Dear Beloved Church,

My prayer is that all is well as we move into the midst of this storm. Please hold on to the faith that the Lord has given you so that you will not stumble. I want to offer up a thank you to everyone who is walking in a worthy manner by serving and watching over one’s neighbor.

This week’s message is coming to you from Mark Chapter 6 starting at verse 48.

Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night, He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. 49 And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

Jesus just feeds the multitudes because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He sends his disciples across the lake and goes into the hillside to pray. Jesus, just prior to all this, had received news of the death of John the Baptist.

 I underlined several things in the above passage that are relevant to us all – virus or no virus. First, the “wind” can be against us and no matter how hard we row or try, it can seem like we are getting no closer to our destination. In this case, it was dark and progress was slow. The fourth watch means they were at it all night, much like this current pandemic. The Lord saw their need. (He saw them).

The second point, the Lord came to them in their troubled state. At that moment they were afraid and it says He talked to them with words of comfort. Have you been talking to Jesus? Prayer is talking and listening to what He has to say in this time of turbulence. The Bible is His Word. What does Jesus tell them? Be of Good Cheer. Do not be afraid!. Then He gets in the boat with them and the wind ceases. You are not alone!(Mark 5:36)”Don’t be afraid just Believe”

Thus, the real reason this event happens is revealed in verses 51 and 52. It’s because they had been with Jesus all this time, saw his love, heal, and teach, do miracles, and yet their hearts were still hard. This stormy frightful event in the disciples’ lives was for them to truly see who the Savior or Messiah really is. Could it be we have walked with Jesus and have not recognized His Lordship? I suppose the answer is found in how we respond in the darkness and the wind. Jesus says’s “Trust God trust also in Me”.

Love in Christ, Pastor Jeff