Thinking It A Ghost

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 

It has been almost a year since my mother passed over. In the past few weeks she has visited me often in my dreams, along with my Dad and many others. In my sleep state, it seems natural to be talking with them, updating them on our children and grandchildren. We laugh and talk as naturally as we always did. I imagine that in some ways I am talking with ghosts, but these are also a part of me. All that we love never truly leave us and somehow become part of our flesh and part of our constitution.

The disciples are again on rough waters. Jesus, the living God, who in his human form defies time and space, walks toward them and calms the sea. He tells them (and us) to not be afraid. The storms of life are under his control and all of time and space are flexible. Love makes the impossible possible. God's love makes our present hardships become new miracles, new reasons for believing. God's love strengthens our hearts daily. We don't need to fear ghosts or any other such imagined or real terrors, for God's love has conquered the worst - death itself.

Today I ask God to renew my strength. May we not be drawn under by our fears and our circumstance, but may we trust that God is moving over the troubled waters. May we know that calm and safe passage are being forged for us today.