Re:Verse passage – Mark 4:35-41 (day two) They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” v. 41
Yesterday in the re:vlog we touched on this verse briefly and I wanted to dig just a little deeper. If these men, who saw Jesus more than any other, were shocked and surprised by his command over the wind and water, what does that say about our own trust in the absolute authority of Jesus? These men should have known better, and yet it is more often in fear and uncertainty that we solidify our trust in the Lord than in plenty. Miracles were happening everywhere, but the disciples themselves were never in harms way. They weren’t suffering from deadly illness, they weren’t blind. They were witnesses, but not necessary recipients. This time on the water shook their faith. Were they assuming that being with Jesus meant being absent from suffering? Did they think that they would only help dispense with grace and mercy, but never receive any themselves? I don’t want to project any of my own inadequacies upon the disciples, but I understand their one-sided faith. It is often in the raging storm that we learn to fear the Lord, but we don’t have to wait for things to fall to pieces to trust. Thank God for the examples set forth in scripture. We should rejoice that we are not fearing for our lives in the raging sea, but we should be absolutely sure that Jesus can be found there.
I cannot imagine how the disciples felt after the crucifixion. Having seen the miracles he performed, they couldn’t understand why he allowed himself to be crucified. But things sure changed when they saw the resurrected Lord. And then watched him rise into the clouds. They became fire brands of evangelism and ultimately gave their lives also. They were secure in their ultimate destination. As I grow nearer to the end of my life span I’m beginning to understand how they felt.😁😀
Aaron I loved the question you posed in the re-vlog yesterday. Is your comfort predicated on your faith? I was thinking that at this point in their dicipleship, despite having seen miracles performed by Jesus; that they still hadn’t fully grasped who Jesus was. They asked each other, “who is this? Even the wind and waves obey him! And, they had not yet received the Holy Spirit. I think I’ve read that the phrase “fear not” is the most common phrase in the Bible. I’m thinking that faith flourishes when we receive the Holy Spirit, and that they work together to bring us to a place where we can live without fear in the most dire of circumstances. My faith is built on the word of God and I am so grateful that God gave us the Holy Spirit to comfort us in times of need.
Beautifully expressed…Thankyou Aaron.