Passed Them By

            Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. (Mk 6:48)               

Many times, the Lord Jesus saved His disciples from difficult situations. But this time, in the midst of roaring wind and splashing waves, the Lord intended to walk past them. Even though the Lord eventually approached them and saved them, why did He not immediately go to them, allowing them to face the prospect of perishing in the angry sea?

In our lives, do we sometimes feel as the disciples felt, as if God is intending to pass us by as we are tossed about in our troubled seas? As we struggle in our problems, we hope that God will deliver us from our troubles instantly. Nevertheless, there are times when we cannot feel the presence of our Lord. He seems to have passed by us. “Has God abandoned us?” We might wonder in our despair.

As the disciples cried out in hopelessness, the Lord calmed them down with His voice and assured them of His presence. He approached them and pacified the storm for them. He was always nearby. Just as it seemed that the disciples could not bear the intensity of the situation, the Lord revealed Himself to help them. It is not that He was going to abandon them as He passed by them. Like a father who is not helping his toddler that is struggling to walk, the Lord did not step in immediately so that the disciples could learn to brave the storm while trusting in Him. If indeed the trial was too great for them, the Lord would have stretched out His loving arms to rescue them.

Sometimes we also travel through difficult and fearful tempests, but the Lord wants us to navigate through the mighty waves. The task is daunting and the challenge might seem more than we can bear. He will remain beside us to provide us strength and help when needed. If we can ride out the tumultuous waves, we will come out of the stormy sea all the stronger.

 

            Questions for Reflection:

What are the angry seas that you currently face in your life? What can you do to show your trust in the Lord in the midst of fear and uncertainty?