[Jesus] 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.”

Devotion based on Mark 6:48-50

Life is exhausting. We spend so many hours working to provide for our families or trying to pay off debt. We race around to all the various activities and commitments the family has during the week. We stress about everything from money to time and our health. We try so hard to do our best, but inevitably, we find ourselves overstretched and worn out. We feel alone and isolated. We feel like we are rowing against the storm and not making any headway.

What impact does this all have on our thinking? When life piles on and we are overwhelmed, we don’t think clearly. We make false assumptions. We believe wrong things about God: we believe he is distant, that he isn’t there at all, that he is someone or something different than he actually is. In their moment of stress and isolation, the disciples mistakenly assumed that Jesus was a ghost. Rather than looking to him as someone to trust and reach out to, in their exhaustion, they mistook him to be someone they should fear.

In moments like this, Jesus comes to us just as he did to them. He says: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” Take heart, for the One who walks on water and controls the storms. is the same One who is in control of your life. This One is none other than our Savior, Jesus, who lived and died and rose again for us to conquer sin, death, and hell. In doing this important work, Jesus forgives our sins and gives us heaven. He makes us God’s children through faith. He has ascended into heaven and is ruling all things for our good. He is in control. The Lord is with us whether we think so or not.

Prayer: