A Note from DT

There is an account recorded in sixth chapter of John that I’ve been considering this week. It is the story of the disciples getting caught in a storm while they were trying to cross the sea towards Capernaum without Jesus on board: 

…the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.    (John 6:18-21) 

The same story in Matthew says that the boat was being tossed by the waves and adds that seeing Jesus, ‘they thought He was a ghost and cried out in fear’. (Matt 14:26) 

When we zoom out we see the disciples in a high stress situation doing everything they possibly can in their own strength to make it across the sea.  To make matters worse they see a figure in the distance that they perceive to be a demonic being…  

  “I knew this wasn’t just a storm…this is an attack from the enemy…and we’re out here without Jesus…we’re gonna die!!!” 

It’s funny to us to watch this from the outside knowing that the figure they see is actually Jesus and the disciples aren’t really in danger.  In fact the perceived ‘ghost’ is not there to attack them but to deliver them.  The disciples are not merely experiencing a deliverance from the dangerous waves of the storm, but from something far more dangerous, they are being delivered from their Fear.  Jesus is drawing closer to them and is desiring to be invited into their vessel.  

Another very interesting point is made in John 6:21 – Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.  When I first studied this story I realized that the disciples would have still had close to a mile before they would have made it to the shore where they were going. This verse states that as soon as they willingly received Him they were immediately at their destination.  The disciples had been sent by the Lord to their next destination for ministry but the Teacher was giving them a valuable lesson. For the Lord to get them to their desired destination was an easy thing, they simply needed to recognize Him and yield to Him, inviting Him into their vessel.  

The Point:

Fear is like a squatter that the enemy uses to take up room within our lives in order to keep us from moving forward into all that our Father has for us to walk in.  Could the contrary winds and storms we experience that seem to stir up fear and anxiety within our hearts actually be a sign that the Lord is drawing near to us in order to completely displace that which wrongfully takes up space in our hearts?  Yes, and that is what this story is about.  Those who worship God do so in Spirit and in truth. In other words, this life is about walking in the Spirit and not entangling ourselves with the forecasts of the world. That which is going on in our internal world is what determines the advancements we make in the external.  As soon as they let Him in the boat they bumped into the other side…it is nothing for God to bring us to the desired destination He has for us.  He can do that in the blink of an eye, the real issue and even the responsibility is on us.  Will we do our part of recognizing Him in the midst of our anxiousness and inviting Him to come in to our inner world or will we trouble shoot and self medicate ourselves until we feel the storm passes?  I say, lean the flip in!  

Maybe your life is feeling a bit uncertain.  Maybe there does seem to be a lot of resistance, pressure, and even ‘warfare’ concerning the path you feel called to walk. Maybe there is a lot of uncertainty and insecurity and anxiety that is draining your soul. Shoot, maybe it looks like there’s a Boogie Man approaching, coming to take you out…But what if there’s another way to see it all?  What if you have been faithful to follow the Lord and you are right where He’s called you to be? Maybe it’s not time to abandon ship.  Maybe God is having His way in the storm (Nahum1:3) Maybe He is just waiting for an invite to come and sit with you inside of of the swirl and to give you His mind and heart to take into your own.  What if it is all your training, meant to bring you into a greater authority? Yeah, that sounds like a higher way to think…that sounds like fearlessness…it sounds like faith.  

-DT