DAY 133 - THE OTHER SIDE
ISAAC RAMP, CAMPUS SERVE TEAMS LEAD
I am fascinated by storms. They have such a wide range of capabilities and power. From the peaceful rain drizzle to a blowing blizzard whiteout. From the clapping of thunder to a tornado ripping through a field. Storms cannot be controlled or predicted with any level of certainty. For me, there are few things that exemplify the power of God better than a storm. However, storms have a major downside. They will interrupt all of your plans and throw uncertainty in your life. From the simple rain delay at a sporting event to your house being destroyed by a hurricane, storms can throw a wrench in the tranquility of your life and stall any plans you may have.
Have you ever felt as if your calling has been stalled by a storm that is happening in your life? I would hazard to guess that for most of us, 2020 has been the year of storms that have made us question the callings on our lives. This year has definitely not gone the way anyone could have predicted from COVID to quarantine, to social justice and riots, to murder hornets (yes, they are a thing, google them). On top of all of that, it’s a contentious election year. Talk about storms.
However, I believe that storms can do more than just put our life on hold. God can use them to strengthen us and draw us closer to him. My prayer as I write this is that we turn our gaze off our storms and back on the miracles God wishes to do in our lives and to remember what he called us into.
Let’s take a look at one of the most famous storms to occur to the disciples in the new testament. The story of Jesus walking on water is recounted in Matthew, Mark and John but I am going to draw from the accounts presented by Matthew (14:22-33) and Mark (6:45-52). The story can be broken down into four different segments which we can draw from to help refocus our gaze onto God and move forward in our calling despite a storm. The four segments are the call, the storm, the miracle, and the other side.
The Call
“Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.” Mark 6:45 (ESV)
Jesus, on the heels of performing the miracle of feeding five thousand, immediately sends his disciples ahead of him to the other side of the lake. He gives them a calling and mission to cross the lake and prepare the way for him. He has called them to the other side. It is only in the middle of carrying out this calling that the storm hits, and the disciple’s faith is tested. We all feel that God has put certain callings or missions on our lives, but 2020 is the storm that feels like it has put those callings on hold. However, it is important to remember during the storm that the calling is from God and he called us long before the storm. God does not put callings on our lives flippantly. He is an intentional and deliberate God so when the storm hits remember you were called by God to go to the other side.
The Storm
“And after he had taken leave of them he went up on the mountainside to pray. And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them…” Mark 6:46-48 (ESV)
Jesus calls the disciples to the other side and then promptly leaves them to go and pray. It is during this time that Jesus is not physically present with them that the winds rise and start to beat against the boat. Have you ever felt you were called but the moment you stepped out into the calling, it felt as if Jesus disappeared? And then the moment you feel this a storm approaches on the horizon? You are not alone if this is what you are experiencing. However, we must not forget that Jesus “saw that they were making headway painfully”. As the storm is approaching, as the wind starts beating the boat, Jesus sees them! He sees them in the middle of their storm and goes to them. May we take heart in this. That in the middle of the storm, even if it doesn’t feel that Jesus is physically with us, he sees us and comes closer!
The Miracle
“…And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 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.” Mark 6:48-50 (ESV)
“And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “o you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased” Matthew 14:28-32 (ESV)
At first glance, Jesus can seem apathetic to the disciples’ struggles since he “meant to pass by them.” However, I believe he meant to pass by them because he knew he had sent them across the lake. He knew they would make it because he had told them to cross it! We need to remember in the midst of our storm that we are not at the final destination. God doesn’t send us into a storm he already doesn’t know the ending of so take heart! We will make it to the other side!
We also see a beautiful moment between Jesus and Peter in Matthew’s account. Peter, in the midst of the wind and waves, doesn’t ask Jesus to calm the storm. Instead, he asks to come closer to Jesus. Man, I want this heart posture. To be in the middle of a storm in my life, and not to pray for deliverance but, instead, to pray for intimacy with Jesus. It is because of Peter’s request for closeness with his savior that he is able to walk on water. Peter is a testament to the power of intimacy with God. Not only can it deliver you from the storm as we see happen at the end of the story, but it can also allow us to stand on top of the storm with confidence as it rages around us.
The Other Side
If you read on in Matthew, we see the disciples and Jesus make it to the other side of the lake and land at Gennesaret. It is here, that Jesus and his disciples, heal the sick of the region and people come from all over to touch the cloak of Jesus. This is the fulfillment of the call that Jesus made telling the disciples to go to the other side. The disciples persevered the storm grew closer to Jesus and made it to the other side. Because of this, the region of Gennesaret was forever changed. The world needs us, maybe now more than ever in 2020, to pass through the storms in our lives by growing intimate with our savior because people need us to reach the other side.
Our journeys in our callings are rarely what we expect and we will be met with storms in this life but if we call for God to pull us close we will not only see miracles within our storm but will also see lives changed because we made it to the other side. Pray today for intimacy with your savior and remember that he has called you and will deliver you to the other side of the storm.