Dark and Stormy

When evening came, Jesus’ disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going. The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there. They also saw that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” John 6:16-27

We have all lived through dark and stormy times, when life seems like one catastrophe after another. A series of losses, wrong turns and rough weather can have us believing that we are doomed to fall apart and be swallowed up by disaster. We might try to overcome the worst by "positive thinking", until yet another mess comes across our bow. We fear the evil in the dark and in the storms. Yet often, it is the lush times, the successes and abundance which we take credit for, which lead to our disasters.

Jesus has just fed the hungry thousands on the hillside, a miracle of great proportions. An even bigger miracle happened during the night of rough seas and dark fears. The crowd ached for more. More bread and more miracles for their comfort. And Jesus, who crossed the sea and calmed the waves wanted them to seek relationship. He invited them and us to seek the heart of God and the love of God in each other. This is what sustains and keeps us, the love of God in Jesus.

Today, I ask God to hep me see the dark and stormy nights as an invitation to deepen my relationship with God. May we not fear these times, but rather seek and share the love that God has given us.