“How is it Tuesday already?” I wondered, not for the first time. I am keenly aware that we all share the same twenty-four hour days rotating around the sun but some days and weeks, some seasons just feel different. Sometimes time seems to stand still and then it flies warp speed ahead. When sharing a picture memory of her children with mine, my sister in law, Allyson, texted, “I feel like this was both just yesterday and forever ago.” I knew exactly what she meant and so do you.
Her son and daughter are both engaged to be married next year. Events like marriage make time feel wobbly and uncertain. We feel suspended unsteadily between what was and what will be, anticipation on the one hand and trepidation on the other. For a mom or dad, it could be the birth of an infant, the failing health of a spouse or parent, a child leaving the nest, a new job, a big move, a major case or an important sale; all pivotal moments in life weigh heavily on us, leaving us feeling depleted, but it doesn’t even require something major. Packing for family vacation or a week at camp, the first week back to school or a long weekend, anything that requires thought and effort for which you feel personally responsible can cause time to feel like an enemy.
I remember telling my husband every year after chaperoning our kids’ church camps, “I can burn the candle on both ends for a week to ten days, but it will take at least two weeks to catch up with myself.” My grandfather always told me, when he and my granny came to visit while our kids were small, that I made him tired just watching me. Maybe you set your clock to be up earlier or like me, you burn the midnight oil. Eventually fatigue catches up to you and your brain and your body get out of sync. If I don’t get the rest I need, it tends to come out abruptly with either tears or panic.
Jesus’s humanity meant He experienced all the things you and I do, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) He understands our weaknesses and temptations. He knows exactly how it feels to be human in every respect. You feel frustrated or angry. Jesus did too. You cringe at injustice. So did Christ. You are exhausted. So was He. He also knew joy, sorrow, happiness, pain, surprise, sadness, health, and sickness. He experienced death for you, bearing its sting. In three short years, He accomplished the complete will of the Father for His earthly ministry. He taught. He healed. He often withdrew to remote places to pray. He shared meals. As far as we know, He walked everywhere He went except into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. He even slept, though He said of Himself, “the Son of Man has no place even to lay His head.” (Luke 9:58)
On one occasion, “Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat while all the people remained on the shore. He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables.” (Mark 4:1-2) He taught all day.
“As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.
So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed).
But soon a fierce storm came up.
High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.
Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion.
The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!”
Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid?
Do you still have no faith?”
The disciples were absolutely terrified.
“Who is this man?” they asked each other.
“Even the wind and waves obey him!””
Mark 4:35-41 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mrk.4.41.NLT
Suddenly I’m remembering when my children were very small. Restless, they fought sleep, so I would either buckle them into their car seat and go for a drive or into the stroller and head out for a walk. The rhythmic motion lulled them to sleep easily. Jesus was exhausted to have fallen asleep so quickly. I’ve slept through thunderstorms and even a hurricane or two, but in a house, not a boat. I had a roof over my head. Jesus did not yet He slept like a baby. The disciples woke Him, not the storm. Words of rebuke followed, first to the storm and then to the disciples.
In the Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus, His words, “Peace! Be still!” are reminiscent of Psalm 46:10. “Be still and know that I am God.” The disciples exclamation was correct. Even the wind and waves obey Him! His disciples of all people should have recalled the words of this Psalm, especially after all they had been privileged to witness in such a short time. Plus, Jesus was right there.
“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!”
Psalms 46:1-3 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.46.1-3.NLT
Or from Job.
“Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell me, if you know so much.
Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line?
What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb, and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness?
For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores.
I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come.
Here your proud waves must stop!’”
Job 38:1-11 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/job.38.1-11.NLT
Instead they woke Jesus shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” Imbedded in their panic is an ugly accusation. You don’t care. Plain as day. If You cared, You wouldn’t be sleeping at a time like this! If You really cared, we wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place. After all, it was Your idea to cross to the other side of the lake at night. We trusted You, past tense. Now we’re not so sure. First, He calmed the storm.
“But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful?
How is it that you have no faith?””
Mark 4:40 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/mrk.4.40.NKJV
“Then he turned to his disciples and said to them, “Why are you so afraid?
Haven’t you learned to trust yet?””
Mark 4:40 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/mrk.4.40.TPT
They were learning to trust Jesus. So are we. Every experience, every trial, every confrontation with the religious leaders, with demons, and even with death, each time He pulled them aside after teaching the crowds to explain a little more, especially when He sent them out with His power to heal and cast out demons, they knew with more and more certainty that He was who He claimed to be, the Son of God.
Think of Peter. He was one man. (Hebrews 11 tells of many others.) Peter learned to trust Christ and he was dramatically changed. Scripture captures vignettes of this apostle from the time Jesus called him through his own martyrdom alluded to by John 21:19.
“One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God.
He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.
Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water.
So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing.
But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”
And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear!
A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”
For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him.
His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid!
From now on you’ll be fishing for people!”
And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.”
Luke 5:1-11 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.5.8-11.NLT
“But some of you do not believe me.”
(For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.)
Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”
At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.
Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”
Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go?
You have the words that give eternal life.
We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.””
John 6:64-69 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.6.64-69.NLT
“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”
Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you.
You did not learn this from any human being.”
Matthew 16:13-17 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.16.15-17.NLT
“Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard.
A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.”
But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said.
A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.”
Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!”
And immediately the rooster crowed.
Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
And he went away, weeping bitterly.”
Matthew 26:69-75 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.26.69-75.NLT
“Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”
“We’ll come, too,” they all said.
So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was.
He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?”
“No,” they replied.
Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!”
So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.
Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore.
The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore.
When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.
“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said.
So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore.
There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.
“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said.
None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.
Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish.
This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.
After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time.
He said, “Lord, you know everything.
You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go.
But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”
Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God.
Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.””
John 21:3-19 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.21.3-19.NLT
““God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.
Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand.
And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.
So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”
Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.”
Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.”
Acts of the Apostles 2:32-33, 36-41 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/act.2.32-41.NLT
“Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.
In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.
This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him to life on the third day.
And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead.
He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”
Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message.
The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too.”
Acts of the Apostles 10:34-36, 39-40, 42-45 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/act.10.34-45.NLT
Knowing Jesus, being filled with God’s Spirit, and abiding in Christ changed Peter. You and I have the same opportunity through faith. Jesus is our Immanuel, God with us. (Matthew 1:23) He is the Christ, Son of the Living God. (Matthew 16:16) He is Creator and Sustainer of all that exists. (John 1:3-4, Romans 11:36) He is Sovereign over all. (Psalm 115:3, 135:6, Daniel 2:21, Isaiah 46:9-10, Ecclesiastes 3:14, Job 12:10) And He has promised never to leave or forsake us, so we can say with confidence in every situation, “The Lord is my Helper.” In spite of the times, no matter the season, I have no cause for fear. (Hebrews 13:5-6)
“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.
There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”
Hebrews 4:16 NLT
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