Randall Evans From the desk of Pastor Ben
Jesus Walks On The Lake
“Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened.”
(John 6:19)
After the apostles “had rowed about three or four miles” over a nine to twelve hour period, a sudden squall on the Sea of Galilee caught their boat. Their progress had been stressful, exhausting, and slow; thus they continued “straining at the oars” (Mark 6:48), desperately seeking the safety of the lake’s western shore.
Ever the faithful Shepherd, Jesus while alone praying (John 6:15) had not forgotten the apostles. In His perfect timing he planned to come to their aid, reminding us that divine sovereignty, omnipotence, and omniscience are never in a hurry. After making very little headway for hours, the apostles saw through the swirling storm, a figure walking effortlessly on the water, into the powerful winds and waves. Because of the darkness and storm, they did not immediately recognize that it was their Lord. Although as fishermen, most of them were used to storms such as this, they were still in no way accustomed to seeing a man walking on the water. So, “they were frightened” and thought they saw a ghost (Matthew 14:26; Mark 6:49).
Skeptics have long theorized that Jesus was really just walking along the lake’s shoreline, and that the frightened apostles mistakenly saw Him as walking on the water. But the boat was too far from land for them to have seen Him there. Such a suggestion is merely an attempt to explain away the supernatural. By suspending the laws of nature, Jesus here gave the apostles dramatic proof that He is the Creator and controller of the universe (Colossians 1:16).
Ask Yourself:
Never forget, that as amazing as this miracle was, the fact that Jesus — with all He had to think about — would return to help His storm-tossed followers, was equally astonishing. How does that fact encourage you today — with all you have to think about, with all you need Him for?