Wednesday, July 29, 2015

In The Boat


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 6:47-54

I have been home on vacation and enjoying the luxury of taking my time and enjoying my family. We got up early this morning to pick blueberries before the day got too oppressive. Tonight I will wait until the cool of the evening and make jam. I know I will feel my mother's presence with me, since she was the ultimate jelly-maker. She was truly famous for her jelly, especially her beach plum jelly. I have to get in the boat with her, go ahead and face the storms, and all the mistakes that it takes. I have to jump in and trust God to make it work despite my humanity and capacity to sink many cooking voyages.

Jesus has made people full who were hungry. There was miracle upon miracle but the disciples didn't get it, or chose not to believe what they had seen. Despite all of the evidence they still thought they were completely on their own. When the storm came up, they were surely feeling abandoned by Jesus. These skilled watermen gave into their basest fears - that God would abandon them in their troubling hour. God did more than prove them wrong. The son of God walked across the water and calmed both the storms and their fears. He climbed in with them, not leaving bereft but thrilled.

Today I ask God to help me navigate as a true believer. Let us trust that we are not on these rough seas alone, but that God is walking towards us and climbing in with us.

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