Jesus on the Boat: A New Perspective

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 

Mark 4:35-36 ESV

v36 says Jesus was on the boat when he suggested to cross the lake. It is interesting to know that Jesus didn't finish his work. He didn't leave the place then the crowd was gone. Instead he left while there were still unfinished work.

As a human Jesus needed rest, which explains why he was asleep in the boat later. But he didn't choose to rest after he had done all his work: healing the sick, feeding the poor, teaching the lost. Instead, he retreated to rest.

What if God is asking me to rest? While I feel that I have left His work incomplete, God is asking me to retreat and let Him take care of the rest. What if God is telling me that this is not my work but his? That the responsibility falls on Him, not me. And that He will see that it is done His way?

It's interesting that Jesus was on the boat the whole time. v1 kinda show that Jesus was force to move onto the boat because the crowd was great. But he didn't need to if the crowd was only their to listen to His teaching. The logical explanation is that they came for the wrong reasons: His healing, His bread and His blessings. To get these thing the crowd must have came so physically close to touch Him, He was distracted to give them what they really needed.

I think Jesus knows that the crowd didn't really come with the right intention. But that didn't affect Him in anyway. He simply found a new perspective or position and continue to give what the crowd truly needs: God's Word and His kingdom.

Why does that affect me then? If people come with the wrong intentions? Instead of worshipping Him, people simply wanted His blessings. If it did not deter Jesus from teaching them, why did it affect me?

Jesus taught in parables. It must be difficult to understand. I believe it was intented that way. He said "let those who has ears, hears." He wanted only those who truly seeks God to stay. A lot of the people from the crowd must have left listening to those parables. They couldn't get what they want but instead a bunch of senseless riddles. But some of them stayed. Those who wanted to understand, stayed. And to those, Jesus called them disciples, and he explained the parables only to them (v34) privately.

Jesus didn't need quantity. Even though he was popular, he focuses on the few that really wanted the higher reward. He puts his focus on a few instead of the crowd. He wasn't trying to build a bigger congregation, he was trying to make disciples.

What was I trying to build? A CF with a lot of people, or disciples of Jesus? I think I lost focus on what truly mattered.

Does He Even Care?

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 

Mark 4:37-38 ESV

The journey began with a comfortable and calm weather. Obviously, under normal circumstances, no one would sail into a storm. Like most journey with Him, I find peace and smooth-sailing, and I became complacent. But I think God hates to see me idle and complacent, just as I hate to see myself inactive. It is often for Him to catch me off guard by throwing in a storm.

The boat was filling up, at the brink of sinking and capsizing. At that moment, the disciples must be panicking for their lives. Just like how I saw the poor participation a far greater problem than it really is. It choked me and I thought that failure would be the end of me. But I was simply too focused on my own fear.

And in that fear, ironically God seems to be asleep. I would cry and wail but He seems to be in a deep slumber and completely non-chalant about it. That's what makes me angry at Him. "Well I thought He loves and care for me? Where is He when I need Him?" In that fear I responded in anger: Don't you care?

In the midst of serving Him, sometimes I feel like God doesn't even care for my needs. I cannot deny the fact that I have desires too. I desire to be glorified, to be admonished, to be reputable, to be accepted and to be completed by a life partner. While I serve Him I expected Him to meet those needs and desires. But when I don't see them, I presumed Gid doesn't care.

But He does. If He doesn't, why would he even bother to stand and calm the storm?

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 

Mark 4:39-40 ESV

He cares. And He does more than just caring: He steps in and meet our fears. He springs into action to meet our needs. Why? Because He cares and He can.

I think He also wants to teach me to seek Him in my fear. Storms are meant to be scary, but they are also meant to drive us to seek help from Him whose strength is beyond us. I have to confess this: I hardly pray. It's simple that pride that stops me because I am confident what I am capable of. Until then I failed, and I was afraid. And when I finally bend and kneel, He steps in and calms the storm.

He said to me: why are you afraid? Do you still not believe that I can do great thing for you? Do you still not trust me enough to pray to me?

Don't I trust Him? Don't I believe that He can do all things even when I can't? Don't I believe that ministry is His and the kingdom is His to build? Don't I believe that He is my Lord and I am His servant, ready to do His will? O, I still have no faith.

But this is who He is:

And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Mark 4:41 ESV

He is to be feared because He can do all things. Even the wind and the sea obey Him. So then what is too difficult for Him that I can't surrender my work to Him? So then who am I to say to Him: I got this, let me get it done for You! No, if He is to be feared, He is to be trusted. He will be the one that tell me instead: Don't worry, I got this! Tell me what you need, I will do it far better than you! Trust me, I am the Lord!

God's Character, My Encounter.