Month: August 2024

Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Mark 6:50

Where Is Your Focus?

The disciples must have been exhausted. Digging deep into the waters of the Sea of Galilee and making slow progress with their wooden oars tired them out. It was now much closer to the sunrise of a new day than the sunset when they set out on this journey. And all they could see was that they were stuck in the water.

Until “It is I” appeared.

Jesus came to them, and what did they see? They thought they saw a ghost. How could they miss the One who was there to help? Their focus was wrong.

Jesus comes to us in his Word with stacks of blessings. He commands the universe. All things have been placed under his feet. He rules all things for the good of his people.

And yet, how often doesn’t life leave us with faces that are white as a ghost? We worry about how we will pay the bills. We fear for the safety of our families and our children. We are scared about what the doctor told us. We stress about how we will get everything done that we need to do.

How will we get through this? “It is I,” says Jesus. And when he tells us to “Take courage!” and “Don’t be afraid,” he means it. He’s not some well-intentioned friend who pats us on the back and tells us everything will be okay but can do nothing about it. Jesus is the one with the power to help.

This doesn’t mean that we will stop facing troubles, just the opposite. Jesus once promised, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33) But he doesn’t leave us to stew in it. He also promises, “But take heart, for I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33)

In the midst of our problems, Jesus comes to us, too. “It is I,” he promises. It is I who loves you. It is I who has redeemed you. It is I who will remove all your fears one day in the glory of heaven.

Focus on Jesus, not your fears. Keep your eyes on the “I.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, overcome my fears with your promises. Amen.

Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified.
Mark 6:47-50

Does Jesus Seem Far Away?

Where was Jesus? The disciples had been sent across the Sea of Galilee by Jesus. But now, hours later, they are still straining against the oars, trying to overcome the wind blowing against them. It sounds like this went on for hours. Perhaps the disciples wondered, “Where is Jesus?”

It turns out not far away at all. Jesus was keeping his eye on them. He knew what they were going through. As the darkness began to be chased away by the coming dawn, Jesus went out to them.

And when their loving Savior comes near them, they cannot see him. The disciples believe they are seeing a ghost. Apparently, there was a popular Jewish superstition that seeing spirits in the night was a sign of an impending disaster. They are terrified.

Does Jesus seem far away from you? Do your persistent prayers result in no visible changes or answers? Have you given up on seeking your God in worship? Have you allowed your Bible to grow dusty, and now you feel disconnected from your God? Do you feel all alone, like Jesus has passed you by in the night?

Take comfort in your Savior’s consistent love. He knows you better than you know yourself. As he was aware of the disciples’ struggles, he is aware of yours.

The truth is that Jesus is never far away from us, no matter how we may feel. He came near to us when he took on human flesh to save us. Before he ascended into heaven, he promised to always be with us—not in some fairytale, imaginary sense, but truly present. Always. And he continues to draw near to us in his Word and the Lord’s Supper, assuring us of his love, forgiveness, and presence.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, keep me close to you through your Word. Amen.

Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
Mark 6:45,46

Are You Having a Bad Day?

Do you suppose Jesus ever had bad days? Our text almost sounds that way. Jesus made his disciples get into a boat. He dismissed the crowd which had gathered around him after the feeding of the 5,000-plus men and women. He leaves the crowd and the disciples and goes alone to a mountain to pray. Maybe it was just a bad day for Jesus.

John’s gospel gives us some added insight into this text. It says that after the people saw and experienced the miraculous feeding of the 5,000, “They intended to come and make him king by force” (John 6:15).

The people were not there to ask Jesus to teach them deeper truths of the Word of God. They were not there to learn about the forgiveness and peace he would bring. They took the gift that was Jesus and turned it into a selfish desire. “Fill our bellies, Jesus!” was what they cared about.

And so Jesus sends his disciples out across the lake, and he goes himself up a mountain to pray. He separates himself from a devilish proposition—to gather early popularity and show earthly power. No, it was not a bad day. Instead, it was another day for him to focus on saving souls and to draw strength from his heavenly Father.

How is your day today? Are you already dreading what this day has in store for you? Are you struggling with tensions in relationships? Are you stressed out at work? The car won’t start? The kids aren’t behaving? Some days feel better than others.

Remember what Jesus offers. The one who would not be led astray by worldly selfish ambition came unselfishly to win forgiveness for this day and all our days. And he reminds us of the privilege we have to go to our God in prayer. That means this day is looking better all the time.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me and forgiving me every day of my life. Whatever this day brings, help me to draw strength from you. Amen.

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:18

Rescued from Terror

The subject of “terror” and “terrorism” is all around us, isn’t it? Our country continues with our preparations to prevent it, or lower the danger, etc. The dictionary will say that “terror” is a sharp, intense, overriding fear. Fear of what? There are two kinds of terror that cause us to fear. As citizens of this earth, we fear sickness, injury, death, and the unknown sources that may bring them. There is also another fear—where will we spend eternity when we no longer live on this earth?

Our source of relief and protection from both kinds of terror is the same. Finally, all things are in God’s hands. Most importantly, we are saved from eternal terror because God sent his Son, Jesus, to be our Savior. While there is uncertainty here on earth, our eternity is certain because Jesus took our place. He lived perfectly in our place. God accepted Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection as payment for all the sins of every one of us. Jesus won, so we are assured of our place in heaven.

And while we are here? That same God who eternally rescued us has also promised to hold and guide us during this life.

When the apostle Paul wrote the words of our Bible reading for today, he knew his time on earth was limited. Was he in fear for his life? No! He knew that there is no terror when we are assured of God’s plan for our eternity. Our outlook is the same. God’s plan for us is the same. There is no terror in heaven.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you that your promise of eternal life means I have nothing to fear in this life. Amen.

In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’S hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. . . When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.”
Exodus 16: 2-4,15

Bread from Heaven

The future—what lies ahead—is totally unknown to us and often wildly unpredictable. But that doesn’t stop us from having feelings about the future. How do you feel about your future?

In his book Enlightenment Now, cognitive scientist Steven Pinker finds that majorities in fourteen leading countries believe the world is getting worse rather than better. Pinker goes on to say, “This bleak assessment of the state of the world is wrong.” Using statistical insights, Pinker shows that people are living longer, healthier, and happier lives.

So why aren’t we more optimistic? Just because things are getting better doesn’t mean they are good enough. Just because we have made improvements and advancements doesn’t mean we have achieved perfection.

For the Israelites, life was getting better than it had been. However, you would not know that from today’s Bible verses. Just one month earlier, they were all slaves in Egypt. They seemed to think they spent their days in Egypt gorging themselves. They even went so far as to suggest it would have been better if they had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! But their recollection of those days was incorrect.

Your life might not be everything you think it should be, but it is probably better than you realize. Give thanks to God for all the blessings from his hand. The Lord who loves you gave his one and only Son so that you might have life to the full. You can confidently say that the best is yet to come.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, you know how quick I am to gripe and complain. Help me to see how you have opened your hand and given me many good things. Fill my heart with gratitude and appreciation for your many blessings. Amen.

The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.
Mark 6:44

Drawn to Jesus

Five thousand! That is how many men came to see Jesus that afternoon. And that number didn’t even factor in the women and children. That is incredible! This massive crowd had followed Jesus to the outskirts of town. They couldn’t stay away from Jesus. They were drawn to him.

But why? Why did this crowd of thousands come to see Jesus that day? They were drawn to Jesus because they were hurting and knew he could help. They were drawn to Jesus because they were suffering from sickness and disease and hoped that he could heal them. They were drawn to Jesus because their hearts were burdened with worry, stress, and guilt, and they were looking to him to offer some relief. All too often, they had done wrong, and they were longing for forgiveness from God in heaven. And Jesus didn’t shun or shame them like their other religious leaders. No, Jesus embraced them with a smile and the promise of forgiveness.

The people who went to see Jesus that day aren’t all that different than you and me. We struggle with guilt from the past. We wrestle with the temptations of today. We stress about what will come tomorrow. What is it for you? Are you having problems in your marriage or with your kids? Do you have to fight off an addiction each day? Are you worried about the future of the country, your nest egg, or your health? Whatever it is, you can take it to Jesus. He’s the one who has already defeated death for you. And because Jesus has conquered the grave, he lives to lead you through this life, assuring you of God’s forgiveness and a home of eternal rest in heaven.

For centuries, millions upon millions of people have been drawn to Jesus, and millions upon millions have found that he is the source of certain hope and forgiveness. May the Lord bless you as you walk with him in his Word. And may he put your heart at rest from your burdens and fears, whatever they might be.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, use the troubles and worries in my life to draw me closer to you. Assure me through your Word of your eternal presence and guiding hand. Amen.

Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.
Mark 6:41

Because He Cares

Can you imagine sitting there on the hillside, with a sea of people all around you and all of you eating until your tummies were content? It was impressive, wasn’t it? Jesus multiplied a little boy’s lunch—a few loaves of bread and two small fish—into a feast that didn’t just give everyone a bite. No, it filled and satisfied! It was impressive. You couldn’t do that, and neither could I.

But why did Jesus do it? I can’t say for certain, but I am sure that people wouldn’t have starved if he hadn’t provided for them. The disciples came up with a reasonable solution to the problem: “Send them away so they can buy food for themselves!” I am sure that if Jesus had listened to their counsel, the crowd would not have grumbled or complained. My point is this: this wasn’t a life-or-death situation. He wasn’t fending off a legion of demons or curing them of some life-ending disease. He simply gave them a meal.

So what does this tell us about the kind of Savior we have? He cares. Jesus cares about the big things and even the little things going on in your life. Yes, he cares about you when the cancer comes back or when there is one more empty chair at the dinner table. But he also cares about the simplest of concerns and the seemingly little problems in your life. I often tell my children that Jesus wants to hear our “skinned knee” prayers, too. Sure, skinning your knee hurts, but it isn’t the worst thing ever. But those are the concerns and problems we can take to Jesus as well. And why? Because he cares. He cared about you so much that he laid down his life for you. Jesus has defeated our worst problem—sin—and if he was willing to tackle that for us, there isn’t anything too trivial.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for caring for me and saving me from my sin but also, thank you for caring for every aspect of my life. Bless me with the knowledge of your care. Free me from my worries by reminding me of your eternal love. Amen.