June 23
Mark 6:45-52
Sometimes the disciples’ lack of faith really gets to me. They were there! They were with Jesus all the time and they saw all these miracles happening. And yet, they still act surprised when Jesus shows His power. After Jesus walked on water and calmed the storm the disciples “were totally amazed, for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.” (vs. 51b-52 NLT) Of course the disciples knew that Jesus was a special man, and they believed His words, but they still were not really grasping that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus is the one and only source of life. When we truly recognize that and acknowledge that our help and peace comes from Jesus, we can have calm through any storm. Oh how I am like the disciples. Jesus shows me His amazing power time and time again. And then when I am faced with a bad storm, I still worry and have doubts. And even when Jesus is right there in front of me, I don’t even recognize Him. God help me to trust entirely on you, help me to recognize your presence, and thank you for giving me peace even in the midst of a storm.
Principle:
1. Jesus brings calm into any life when He is recognized as the only source of help.
2. Being in the will of God does not guarantee easy circumstances but does guarantee Jesus’ presence.
Application:
1. How much time do I spend in prayer each day when things are calm?
2. Whom or what do I seek first as my source of help when the “storms” come?
2. Is my hard heart keeping me from recognizing what He is doing in my life?
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The Disciples, along with other people of that day, seemed to have a picture in their minds of who "the messiah" was going to be. Jesus wasn't what they were expecting.
ReplyDeleteHow often do we pray to God to "send a messiah to overthrow the Romans" when He has such a bigger plan already in the works?
Answer to application question #1: not much. Not much at all. Shame on me.
ReplyDeleteThank you God that you are sovereign over all things and that I can fully rest in your peace, provision and presence.
ReplyDeleteI’m still thinking about yesterday’s scripture where Jesus told the disciples to come with Him to a quiet place and rest (Mark 5:31). This wasn’t even a suggestion, it was a direct instruction! I actually have a quiet place with that scripture hanging where I can see it when I first enter the room. However, my quiet space is screaming at me with clutter everywhere. I can’t help but think that to obtain the Peace of God, I have to find that quiet place and rest in Him. Question #1…How much time do I spend in prayer each day when things are calm? Not very much. and now I am seeing that I need to quiet the clutter all around me so that I can rest in the calm of The Lord and give Him quality time in prayer
ReplyDeleteI pray that my heart will be soften and allow Him to work in me instead of me trying to do everything.
ReplyDelete"for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened." I've been wondering about what causes a hard heart? 1. Distractions: focus on the things of this world. 2. Disobedience: not obeying my Father's will. 3. Lack of discipline: failure to do those things which keep my heart attuned to God. 4. The devil: I have an enemy that wants to destroy my faith.
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