45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
The disciples have just been part of the miracle of Jesus feeding over five thousand people when He sends them by boat to Bethsaida, the other side of the sea. Jesus also dismissed the well-fed crowd and went up alone onto the mountain to pray. While Jesus was praying on the mountain, darkness began to set in and He saw that the disciples were battling to cross the sea because the wind was against them. Jesus continues to spend time alone in prayer and then at about 3 in the morning He went out to them walking on the water. They were still battling to move forward about six hours later. Jesus intended to walk past them but they saw Him and thought he was a ghost and were terrified. But Jesus spoke and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” As Jesus got into the boat with them, the wind calmed down and they were amazed. They had witnessed Jesus multiplying the loaves but had not recognised the significance because their hearts were heartened. They still did not understand that Jesus was God. His walking to them on the water was no greater a miracle than producing all that food. They had continued to struggle to do things in their own strength instead of calling to God in prayer. How much do you find yourself lacking in faith, or not even considering spiritual things, and struggling forward in your own strength against the metaphorical storms of life?
As soon as they arrived on the other side people recognised Jesus and brought their sick to Him for healing. They recognised, like the woman with the bleeding, that even touching His clothes would make them well and so wherever he went people would strain to touch even the edge of His cloak. Those who did were made well. Jesus’ cloak wasn’t magic, it was just that Jesus chose to recognise their expression of faith and made them well.