Finding a Safe Haven.

John 6:16-21

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 three or three and a half miles they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water, and they were terrified. 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.

“Why is God so selfish?” my friend cried in frustration. “How long must I go on giving Him praise and worship, and trying to be as good as He expects me to be, when all the time He just watches, and doesn’t give an inch?”

Shocked though I was, I tried to put myself into her skin, and perhaps many of us, if the truth be told, have thought along those same lines when the storm is raging, and we feel we can’t bend any more, but must surely break.

Sometimes the Lord allows us to get into situations that we feel He could have prevented.  Then He tells us that His ways are not our ways, and neither are His thoughts our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8) What we think is feasible and right, may be great for us then and there, but what would it do for us in the light of eternity? We are naturally lovers of ourselves; the most spiritual of us would have to confess that though we proclaim our submission to God’s will in our lives, we hope that it will not be uncomfortable, or painful, or degrading! We are conscious of our own selfishness, but couch it in other words.

Here, we see the disciples setting off on their own, in the gathering dark, without the Light of Life with them. They rowed in their own strength, fighting the raging wind, pulling against the elements. They strained to reach the other shore – to do what when they got there?

Do we, too, decide to go off on our own? Do our own thing? Do we desire to assert our independence, and our “right” to some pleasure, or ploy? Have we our own agenda, wanting to satisfy cravings for something that in our hearts we know would not meet with God’s approval? Do we covet possessions or position, in an effort to pander to our inherent pride? In short, do we move away from God to give ourselves a brief respite from the holiness He wants of us? And then, when the storm strikes, do we try to get out of trouble with panic stricken strokes of bargaining, prayer, confession, and professions of faith, falsified by our hypocrisy?

Oh, we of little faith! How wonderful that Jesus yet loves us enough to come to us. He will even walk three and a half miles on water, or more than six kilometres of tossing waves, to rescue us. There is of course the “if” and the “but” which we need to remember if He is to guide us to the shore.

The disciples were terrified when they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them, and surely wondered if it was really He, or their imagination playing tricks. Was He going to rebuke them? Was He going to watch them drown?

When He said, “It is I; don’t be afraid,” can you imagine their relief? Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and to have Him join them in that tossing, turbulent situation, with the sails flapping, the wind howling, the rain lashing, the moon and stars hidden in the clouds. Then they wanted the comfort and strength of that Presence they knew so well, but that had been sadly missed in the storm that had overtaken them. And immediately when he joined them, they reached the shore to which they had been heading. The struggles ceased. The haven was reached, with Him.

But now, this is what the Lord says - --- “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the water, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you ----“ Isaiah 43:1,2