Jesus Sees Us

I noted in my last blog that I like Mark's word choice in his gospel account of Jesus walking on the water.

Mark 6:45-52
Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land.

He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

Everybody knows the bit about Jesus walking on the water, but what fixates me from this passage is not so much that miracle (though it is cool!), but ironically pretty much everything else in the passage. Each phrase is a glittering treasure.

When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. This part is gorgeous because it sets the impossible prelude. It's dark. Where's Jesus? Up on a mountain. Where are the disciples? In the middle of the lake. The impossible question: can any mortal see that far in the dark? No. In the days before electricity, you'd be lucky to see more than a few hundred yards.

But we're talking about Jesus, and his giftings do not begin and end with the ability to walk on water. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Jesus can also see in the dark. A long way.

In John's account of this event (chapter 6) he notes not only that it was dark, but that the disciples had rowed some 3.5 miles out into the middle of the lake. John pointedly notes also that "Jesus had not yet joined them." This is a none-too-subtle reminder that, while Jesus sees them, they do not see him.

About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. The disciples think they are fighting this storm alone. But they're not. Jesus has been watching them the whole time. Now Jesus is coming to them. Help is on the way. But they still don't even know he's aware of their problem, let alone that he is coming.

He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. The phrase "pass them by" hints at a divine revelation — God's majesty revealed to mere men. So what happens when God shows up? The disciples are stricken with panic.

So we are on the horns of a dilemma. We panic when we're alone. And we panic when God shows up. The irony is that we were never alone, and God's arrival is good news – not bad news.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." This refrain is everywhere in the Bible. God says it. Angels say it. Prophets say it. Jesus said it. Repeatedly. Why? Because we frail humans just have a hard time believing it.

Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. In this story, there is a literal storm, and it literally dies down. In my life, the storms are usually less tangible. A situation. A problem. But when I let Jesus into my boat, the storm dies down. The problem might not go away quickly – it may not go away at all! But if the peace of Christ is with me, the storm in my heart dies down.

They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. When will we ever learn that God sees us... that he's not leaving us alone?

The God who created the universe can make bread multiply.

The God who can multiply the loaves of bread can also walk on water.

And He can see us in the dark.