Funny...but Poignant

Ever laughed until you cried during your morning devotions? I just couldn't keep myself from it last week. I'm positive that you won't find this as humorous as I did in the moment, but I thought I'd share it with you nonetheless. This is a touch long, but don't worry, it's really poignant.

In Mark 6, Jesus spends an afternoon teaching over 5,000 people. As dinner time rolls around, His disciples approach Him (undoubtedly with tummies grumbling, eager to end this little conference). They encourage Jesus to send the crowd away so they can eat. Jesus responds ever so gently, "You give them something to eat!"

Flustered, they state the obvious. It would cost a small fortune to feed so many. You know the rest of the story. Jesus takes some bread and fish, and wallah!

Here's where it gets good. Jesus dismisses the crowd and sends the disciples off in the boat to the other side of the lake: "And after bidding them farewell, He departed to the mountain to pray.

"And when it was evening, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and He was alone on the land. And seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night, He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them."

Did you catch that? Maybe the italics helped. This was the first time that phrase smacked me in the face. Keep this in mind: When the disciples began their nice little voyage, it was evening. Jesus sees them at about 3:00 a.m. battling against the wind. Instead of rushing out to help, he opts for a leisurely stroll right past them.

Of course, his morning walk is interrupted by the frightful screams of the disciples mistaking him for a ghost. "And He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were greatly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened."

What was Jesus teaching, and what was Mark trying to point out? Recall Jesus' post-resurrection journey on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24: "...they approached the village where they were going, and [Jesus] acted as though He would go farther."

Jesus teaches us so we will RESPOND. He taught the men on the road to Emmaus. Those men urged Him to stay. He taught the disciples with the feeding of the 5,000. The disciples, however, chose to battle the wind and were still surprised by the infinite power and presence of the Savior who accompanied them. Two very different responses indeed.