In Deep

When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and Jesus was alone on the land. When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he came towards them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." Then he got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed. Mark 6:47-56 

 I arrived home yesterday morning early and the walls of snow were deep and high. Despite the fact that our road is plowed, our old car is having a rough time getting up our steep and snowy hill. Sometimes the things we take for granted can be impossibly challenging. Snow is just cold, chunky water. And yet snow can change everything. The taxi that drove me home had to stop at the entrance to our little street. We carried the bags the rest of the way.

The disciples were out on the boat. This was a normal, everyday occurrence for these hearty fishermen. The water was an everyday part of their lives. But that night it was dangerous. A little wind and they were tossed and thrown. Disoriented in the dark, they lost their bearing. And Jesus came to them, walking on the sea and brought them calm in the face of their fears. When our everyday lives are tossed and thrown, when the simple things become impossible, we are reminded that God is in the midst of our worst storms, making a way for us, making a way to us.

Today, I ask God to help me trust completely in the midst of my worst storms. May we face the impossibilities of our lives with new hope, always ready to pray, always ready to reach out to God. And may we be a comfort when others are tossed and have lost their bearings, being the hands of Christ to a frightened world.