SAVE ME!

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowd. After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. Later that night, He was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s You,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to You on the water.”

“Come,” He said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to Him and begged Him to let the sick just touch the edge of His cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Matthew 14:22-36

 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.

Later that night, 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. Shortly before dawn 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.

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was. And wherever He went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Mark 6:45-56

When evening came, His disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. But He said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with His disciples, but that they had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

John 6:16-24

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

In the past year, I have dealt with all of the following situations. The names are being withheld for privacy purposes.

- A woman and her son were within two hours of the sheriff’s department coming by and placing a letter on their door giving them 72 hours to be out. The woman had been out of work after surgery and had no other funds to cover her rent.

- A man needed surgery to remove an appendix and it was discovered he had cancer. Several operations later and he was still too weak for chemotherapy. Meanwhile, he couldn’t work and the bills started to pile up including his rent and utilities.

- A couple were expecting their first child. They had waited and waited for the moment to come but then there were complications during the pregnancy and there was a high chance that the baby would miscarry.

- A wife and two children lost their husband/father when he was the victim of a random shooting. The family was left to pick up the pieces and try to go on in the midst of their deep mourning and loss.

In all these situations, one common cry could be heard by those in the midst of their difficulties:

“Someone save me!”

You see, life’s circumstances can test even the strongest of faith. At our core, we are only human, after all. We can all be a lot like Peter in our scripture passage found from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

In these accounts, we find him and his fellow disciples off shore in a boat on the Sea of Galilee a considerable distance from land in the middle of the lake as they were on their way to Capernaum. While underway, John’s account tells us that “a strong wind was blowing” and “the waters grew rough”.

While this was happening, Jesus was ashore. Mark tells us He was alone after having prayed on a mountainside. What happened next was classic Jesus.

For we read where Jesus walked on the water out to where the disciples were, a terrifying sight for the disciples who thought Jesus was a ghost but Jesus reassured them that it was really Him coming to them in yet another miraculous way.

Well in Matthew’s account, we find Peter not surprisingly stepping up and asking Jesus if he could walk on the water to Him, a request to which Jesus simply replied:

“Come.”

And so Peter stepped out of the boat and actually started to walk on the water! It was an amazing display of faith but Peter believed he could do it and so he did it by faith.

Then, the wind picked up and Peter grew afraid. When he did, he no longer was staying on top of the water. Rather, he began to sink into the depths and in his distress, he cried out:

“Lord, save me!”    

And Jesus did just that, reaching out His hand and catching hold of Peter. He pulled him up out of the water and asked:

“You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

You see, as long as everything was calm on the water, Peter stayed afloat and so did his faith. But when the storm winds kicked up, Peter became fearful and his faith sunk along with him into the deep.

Go back to the people I spoke of in the beginning. It was easy for them to be faithful when things were going well but their true test came when things began to go awry, when hardship and affliction came blowing in like the winds on the Sea of Galilee in our scripture passage.

So what happened with Peter and Jesus?

Well, they climbed into the boat with the rest of the disciples and as soon they got aboard, the scriptures tell us the wind died down. This led to all those onboard the boat worshipping and praising Jesus saying:

“Truly you are the Son of God.”

Indeed. For else could have done what they had witnessed except for someone who carried the very power of God Himself?

Return again to the opening true scenarios.

In each instance, the miraculous work of the Lord came into play.

The eviction was averted when a charitable person covered the debt for the family. They were allowed to remain in their home.

The storm had been quelled and they had been rescued.

The man suffering from so many health concerns was supported financially by caring people until he could arrange to move south to stay with family, those who could help and support him.

His storm had subsided and he was saved from his circumstances.

The couple ended up having a healthy child after the mother was ordered to bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy.

It had been a stormy voyage through uncertainty but in the end, the Lord brought calm and peace.

Maybe you are reading this today and you are in the midst of your own trials and tribulations. Perhaps you have said to the Lord, “Save me!”, on more than one occasion, your faith possibly wavering under the weight of your circumstances.

In that time, turn your focus on Jesus, extend your hand, and allow Him to lift you up from the depths, trusting in His power and willingness to help rescue those who find themselves in dire straits. Ultimately, the Lord loves you, He cares for you, and He wants the best for you, all while He is molding and shaping you to be the person He wants you to be.

Believe in Him. Trust Him. Expect His saving will come.

He will never let you down.

Amen.  
In Christ,
Mark
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