John 6:16-21

John 6:16-21

And when evening came His disciples descended upon the sea and after getting into a boat they were coming upon the other side of the sea into Capernaum.  And darkness had already become and Jesus had not yet come to them.  And the sea is getting rough while a great wind blows.  Therefore after having been driven along three or four miles they observe Jesus while walking around upon the sea and while coming near the boat.  And they were frightened.  And He said to them, “I am.  Do not be afraid.”  Therefore they were desiring to take Him into the boat and immediately the boat came upon the land into which they were going along.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Mark 6:45 tells us that Jesus told the disciples to get into the boat while He dismissed the crowds.  The disciples were not discourteous to Jesus in leaving Him behind; they were obeying orders!  However, here’s the thought that will make you pause to wonder a bit.  The disciples were ordered by Jesus to go into a boat when He knew – being God – that there was a storm coming!  Jesus orders them into the path of danger!  However, be reassured.  While Jesus may have been ordering them into a natural danger, He was ordering Him away from a human danger.  The crowd wanted to collect Jesus and turn Him into something He was not.  That was the greater danger to His disciples.  The storm could be handled by Jesus easily.  The crowd posed a threat to His discipleship.

How does it make you feel to realize Jesus orders His disciples into the midst of the storm?  How does this teach us that God is still protecting us even when things don’t seem to be going smoothly?

Second Thought:

On a much more hidden note, remember that this even happens at night.  Jesus has sent away the crowds.  Nobody is left to have this experience except Jesus and His disciples.  After a long day of teaching and the incredible sign of feeding the five thousand, Jesus saves a special moment for His disciples.  No matter how big the crowd gets, Jesus is there for them.  The disciples are close to Jesus and always will be.

Do you feel closeness with Jesus?  Do you believe that Jesus will always have something for you?

Third Thought:

When Jesus enters the picture of this story, the disciples are safe.  Immediately they reach the safety of the far shore.  Jesus is the safe haven in this world, even when life is difficult.  When Jesus walks along beside us, we know we can reach the next shore with safety and confidence.

When has Jesus brought you into safety?  When has Jesus entered your life and immediately changed your perspective around?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 6:22-27