He Saw Them Straining
Posted by: forthrightmag <forthrightmag@...>
http://www.forthright.net
Going straight to the Cross
A phrase, a moment, a thought. A scene worth
revisiting again and again.
He Saw Them Straining
by Tim Hall
"If only Jesus were with us; He could do something
to help." All in the boat had been thinking the
same thing. There had been that time when Jesus
was with them when the storm arose. Thinking they
were about to be shipwrecked, the disciples awoke
Jesus. He promptly stilled the storm with a simple
command (Mark 4:35-39, New King James Version).
But that was then; now Jesus wasn't with them. "If
only He knew how much we need His help!"
Hours earlier, Jesus had told these men to get in
the boat and go on ahead. He would remain to send
away the crowds who had been listening all day to
His teaching. Jesus knew His disciples were bone-
tired after a hard day. Besides, He needed time
alone on the mountain to pray to His Father.
Nothing could revitalize our Lord more than time
spent in prayer.
For hours the disciples had been rowing, fighting
the stiff wind that had descended on the Sea of
Galilee. The journey should have taken only a
fraction of the time they had already been out.
Making no progress, they were now more then
exhausted -- they were discouraged.
The observation in Mark 6:48 has become one of my
favorites in all of the Bible: "Then He [Jesus]
saw them straining at rowing . . . and about the
fourth watch of the night He came to them." How
could Jesus possibly have seen them? It was now
totally dark, with even the light of the stars and
the moon blocked by the storm clouds. There must
have been some distance between Jesus and the
rest, for He was still on the mountain.
Nonetheless, Jesus saw them. Centuries before,
David had foreseen this ability: "Indeed, the
darkness shall not hide from You, but the night
shines as the day; the darkness and the light are
both alike to you" (Psalm 139:12). The Son of God
had no trouble seeing, even at that pre-dawn hour.
But the best part is that "He saw them straining".
More than just seeing figures in the distance,
Jesus could discern their dilemma. He knew they
needed help. Thus, "He came to them". A marvelous
miracle followed as Jesus walked on the water to
reach them. But for me the most blessed part of
the account is the revelation that "He saw them
straining . . . He came to them".
This scene needs to be the subject of much
meditation by every disciple. Each of us will
occasionally strain at our rowing, thinking we are
making no progress, become more frustrated with
every passing hour. Knowing, however, that He sees
us in our strained condition will help us to
persevere. We will know that in due time He will
come to us and help us through the windy night.
"Does Jesus care when I've said 'good-by' to the
dearest on earth to me, and my sad heart aches
till it nearly breaks -- Is it aught to Him? Does
He see? Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares, His
heart is touched with my grief; when the days are
weary, the long nights dreary, I know my Savior
cares." (Frank E. Graeff, 1901)