Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Taking Courage" for Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Read Mark 6: Walking on the Sea45-46 As soon as the meal was finished, Jesus insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead across to Bethsaida while he dismissed the congregation. After sending them off, he climbed a mountain to pray.
47-49 Late at night, the boat was far out at sea; Jesus was still by himself on land. He could see his men struggling with the oars, the wind having come up against them. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them, walking on the sea. He intended to go right by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and screamed, scared out of their wits.
50-52 Jesus was quick to comfort them: “Courage! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” As soon as he climbed into the boat, the wind died down. They were stunned, shaking their heads, wondering what was going on. They didn’t understand what he had done at the supper. None of this had yet penetrated their hearts.
[The disciples] all saw [Jesus] and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”(Mark 6:50 (NIV))
Our reading for today describes the disciples sailing to meet Jesus at Bethsaida and straining at the oars because the wind was against them. Panic-stricken, the disciples had tried to manage the situation, but things got out of hand. The Lord eventually came to their rescue by walking on water, right toward them. Unfortunately, the disciples did not recognize Jesus and thought they had seen a ghost. They realized it was the Lord only when he finally said to them, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Jesus was telling them to be still and to be sure. Stillness, in its truest sense, is our ability to trust that God is present and hears us in all situations. Being still is the hardest thing to do when we are in the thick of crisis or when things get out of control. But when all is said and done, learning to let go of our worries and trust that God is present shows great wisdom. Certainly, we will have our share of strong winds and rough waters in life. When these moments come, may we learn to take courage and never miss out on the presence of Jesus, the ever-faithful One who comes to us each and every time.
The Author: Bernadette Amistoso-Morales (Philippines)
Thought for the Day: True courage is learning to trust God.
Prayer: Give us true courage, O Lord, so that when the strong winds come, we may remain still and sure in your presence. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those going through tough times
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