Grab an Oar

Reading: Mark 6

"And seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night, He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them." Mark 6:48-49

Evaluation:

They were tired. Upon completing what had to be an incredibly taxing missionary journey the disciples returned to Christ. He decided it prudent to take them away to a lonely place to rest. Crowds did not allow it. They beat them to where they were going and instead of resting they spent time ministering to them. Now the disciples sat in a boat on a dark sea struggling at the oars to make the crossing with a heavy wind in their face.

In the old testament there are a couple places where God uses this same phrase "pass by." It does not mean that Jesus was trying to sneak past them. It means that He intended to reveal to them a side of His presence they had never known before. He was going to allow a part of His glory to pass in front of them in a manner that would strengthen their faith.

Application:.

There are seasons of life when my mission is abundantly clear. In these seasons I know the task at hand and I am able to make measureable progress towards its completion. Then there are seasons of life that make no sense to me at all. I have given my everything and I just feel like I am sitting on a dark and cold sea, struggling with the oars against the wind and the waves.

This passage is an incredible reminder to me that no matter how I feel, I must trust that God will pass by and strengthen me when the time is right. My job is to grab an oar and just keep at it.

Prayer:

Ok, so I have the patience of a hungry lion staring at a wounded lamb. This should come as no surprise to You since You are the one who created me! This sense of urgency You planted inside of me is a key to me being who You designed me to be. It is one of my known strengths and it has been used by You to accomplish much.

But this strength has a downside. My urgent desire to get to where I am going will press me at times to make some horrible choices. My impatience tempts me to take charge and press things to make them happen. Had I been in the boat with the disciples we would have turned around, put the wind at our stern, and headed back to shore to wait for favorable conditions. In the process of doing that I would have also led these men to miss out on one of the more memorable miracles recorded in the New Testament.

My strengths are only strengths when they are bent in humble submission to You. I pray today that you allow me to walk in step with You, keep my hand on the oars, and stay in pursuit of Your desired course. Regardless of the conditions or my perception of progress please protect me from doing anything until You have passed by and confirmed Your purpose.