Creation is truly a place of wonder and beauty to me.  I love road trips over majestic mountains.  I marvel in the valleys where rich soil causes growth.  It gives me peace and enjoyment to walk through beautiful gardens that produce every color imaginable along with combinations of color in the leaves and flowering bushes.  I love being by the waters of rushing streams, flowing rivers, lakes, and seas held back in sheltered areas between rising mountains.  Most of all, I could sit and watch the ocean for long periods of time to watch in amazement the creation power on display as the waves recede and then crash on the shore. 

God’s creation as always fascinated me in every detail! In fact, I was that kid who marveled over the veins in falling leaves as I held them under a microscope.  I loved rocks of all kinds and had a collection that categorized them.  Later, I would marvel and wonder how God stitched humans together from the dust of His created earth, “in His own image,” in the intricate, detailed way He did so our bodies could function in this world in sustaining ways if we took care of ourselves. (See Psalm 139) Every cell of our being was made by our Creator with a specific function to give us life!  What a mighty, creative, powerful God we have!  There is no one like our God!

And yet, in all His work He still has time to watch over His created, knows when we are in trouble and need His help…

Mark 6, The Message

Walking on the Sea

^45-46 As soon as the meal was finished, Jesus insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead across to Bethsaida while he dismissed the congregation. After sending them off, he climbed a mountain to pray.

^47-49 Late at night, the boat was far out at sea; Jesus was still by himself on land. He could see his men struggling with the oars, the wind having come up against them. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them, walking on the sea. He intended to go right by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and screamed, scared to death.

^50-52 Jesus was quick to comfort them: “Courage! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” As soon as he climbed into the boat, the wind died down. They were stunned, shaking their heads, wondering what was going on. They didn’t understand what he had done at the supper. None of this had yet penetrated their hearts.

^53-56 They beached the boat at Gennesaret and tied up at the landing. As soon as they got out of the boat, word got around fast. People ran this way and that, bringing their sick on stretchers to where they heard he was. Wherever he went, village or town or country crossroads, they brought their sick to the marketplace and begged him to let them touch the edge of his coat—that’s all. And whoever touched him became well.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

As Mark sticks to the facts, we will, too:

• Jesus is Son of Man and Son of God.  Pause to realize this truth.

• Jesus sends his tired disciples on ahead so He can dismiss the crowd and then go be with His Father in prayer. 

• Jesus prays.  We learn that prayer always precedes the power of God at work through Jesus!  Prayer to God, asking what HE wants in and through us give creation power to do what He asks to do. BE with God first.

• Jesus saw and knew His beloved were in trouble so He immediately went to them to helped them in their struggle against the stormy waters.  Jesus knows when we are in trouble and will help us in our “storms and rough waters” when we call to Him in prayer in Jesus Name!

• Jesus, present at Creation, had creation power as the Son of God. Jesus calmly walks on the sea as if it were just a rough road.  God’s Son was given the power to feed thousands, heal the sick, AND have power over all of creation!  Yes, read that again—this is Who Jesus is!  God in flesh come to save us!

• Jesus provides help and comfort.  Perplexed and downright scared by watching the power of Jesus walking on the sea, the cried out to Him.  Jesus, who embodies peace, not like the world offers in cheap ways, but real peace and calm in a storm, says, “Courage! Don’t be afraid”.  Jesus is the God of all comfort and peace that is offered to us right in the middle of our storms.  He will see us through it until all is calm once more in our every day, go to work lives.  Yes, there is no one like our God!

God’s work continues through His Son, Jesus who has the power that created the world with a few words.  People were healed who came to Him and merely touched Him.

The power of creation is only equaled to the resurrection power God will display when Jesus rises from death to live—in victory of the enemy of evil and darkness.  When we believe, we are given that power within us as we live our lives in trust and obedience to God!  Mm, read that again and let it soak in.

Pause to reflect…

How does the death and resurrection power of Jesus Christ affect your life?

• The resurrection power of Jesus Christ is a truly amazing and awe-inspiring. It is the power that brought Him back to life after His crucifixion, and it is the same power that we have access to as His followers. This power is not just a theoretical concept, but something that we can experience in our lives today.

• The resurrection power that we have through Jesus gives us the ability to overcome sin and temptation, to find hope and joy even in difficult circumstances, and to live with the assurance that we will one day be raised to new life with Christ.

• The resurrection power of Jesus is a source of strength, comfort, and hope that we can rely on every day, and it is a reminder that with God, all things are possible.

Need more proof?

“I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.”  Ephesians 1:19-20

But wait, there’s more…

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” John 3:16-17, ESV

Do we realized the profound truth that although God loves the whole world generally, He also loves us personally and individually so much that Jesus died for each of us as if there was only one of us?

God didn’t wait for us to clean up our lives and become perfect. God already knew that is an impossibility and so He planned long ago to pour out His grace on our lives by sending His only Son to die on the cross. We do not deserve such grace and we certainly can never earn it. All we must do is believe that Jesus is Who He said He is and learn to live in resurrection power.

Do you really believe what God says really real?  Our behaviors will reflect what we believe.

“Courage!  It’s Me!  Don’t be afraid!” –Jesus

Lord,

There is NO ONE like you!  You saved us then equipped us with Your Power living in us to help us renew our minds as you cleanse our hearts!  You give us new mercies daily to refresh our souls where you abide with us.  You see our struggles and provide a way through them all.  You give us comfort, joy and peace as you continually work your salvation into the depths of our being—all because of your great love for us.  To You be the glory, honor, and praise for all that is good, right, and holy.

In Jesus Name, Amen.  Yes!