My grandson, Thomas, is almost two and he still struggles with car rides. He lives almost two hours away so in order to visit extended family, his parents must drive. His mom has tried everything to ease the trip for him but getting out of the car is really the only thing that helps. He will read or color or snack for only so long. On the rare occasion he may nap, but mostly they talk. She tells him about where they’re headed and how they’ll get there, pointing out landmarks that are gradually becoming familiar to him, though his vision is obscured by his car seat.
She lets me know when she’s leaving and expects to arrive and for my part, I’ve read stories over speaker phone or sang silly songs when she’s at her wits end, but recently, I stand at the top is the drive and wave as he arrives. I follow the car down, waving all the while, and the smiles I’m greeted with are beyond compare. She starts about five miles out reminding him that Lolly is watching for him and I’ll be waving. And you’d better believe I’m outside watching and waiting, and waving with all my might!
Jesus healed on the Sabbath. He was almost constantly with the twelve and others who followed him. Everywhere He went, crowds came to Him to hear His words or find healing. He was baited by the religious leaders and experts in the law. Wisdom and power were constantly going out from His human body, and like us, He became exhausted.
“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.”
Hebrews 4:15 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/heb.4.15.NLT
He chose His only times of quiet for fellowship with His Father and often those were even interrupted. At times He sent the disciples on ahead and went into the wilderness alone. On this night, they grew impatient waiting and set off without Him.
“That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him.
But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum.
Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough.
They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat.
They were terrified, but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!”
Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!”
John 6:16-21 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.6.21.NLT
The narrative is lacking but our minds can easily fill in the blanks.
They were terrified.
Jesus called out to them.
They eagerly welcomed Him into the boat.
Immediately they arrived at their destination.
Rowing three or four miles in a gale was not unfamiliar to these men. Not to four of them at least. Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John grew up on these waters. Their families were fishing families. They plied their trade on the water in the same way a farmer or shepherd worked the land. It was just part of the business. They had all hands on deck on this night. Plenty of hands for rowing and bailing all at once.
It was only when they saw Jesus walking toward them on the water that they became terrified. They recognized His voice when He spoke but not His form. On this occasion He was not sleeping on a cushion in the bow to be awakened with shouts of terror and accusations of apathy. They had abandoned Him on the other shore. They were in complete self-reliance mode.
Still Jesus came to them. Still He spoke calm to their storm. Exhausted, they eagerly let Him into their boat and immediately they arrived at their destination. Immediately. We’re accustomed to that. We fume when the cell signal lags and our page takes more than a millisecond to load. We blare our horns at traffic lights when distracted drivers miss the green light the moment it turns. Our packages arrive same day air and our messages are instantaneous. We’re so used to immediate that we expect God to act on our timetable and according to our plan, and when He doesn’t, we take matters into our own hands. We row like crazy for a few miles and then when He shows up, we don’t even recognize our Salvation is at hand. Until He speaks.
“Don’t be afraid.
I am here!””
John 6:20 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.6.20.NLT
“The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them.
Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and (more than 5,000) people had eaten.
So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him.
They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.
But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food.
Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you.
For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”
Jesus told them,
“This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the One he has sent.””
John 6:22-27, 29 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.6.22-29.NLT
“Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did.
And now he offers you the true bread from heaven.
The true bread of God is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
“Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”
Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me.”
John 6:32-36 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.6.32-36.NLT
“But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”
Luke 18:8 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.18.8.NLT
“Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.””
John 20:29 NLT
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