Daily Journal: 8 December

When Jesus

Walks Right Past

When Jesus walks right past, as if he hasn’t seen us, hasn’t heard us, doesn’t care, He’s up to something. He’s not ignoring us, as we immediately think.

The disciples had hopped into the boat with Jesus to go somewhere quiet, to get away from the crowds because they were tired. But when they got to the place, they found people had already seen them and ran ahead, arriving there as a noisy, needy welcoming party. No rest. But Jesus had compassion. Later that evening the disciples wanted to send them away. They weren’t just tired. They were now exhausted. Fed up. So many people all the time.

These were mostly fishermen. They weren’t used to crowds, they were used to being out on the sea every day hearing the slap of the water against their boat, appreciating the seagulls and the scenery, hauling in fish, going about their daily business. Being fishers of men was a career change; one they had no experience in; one they weren't really prepared for.

Mark 6:47-52 (TLB)

During the night, as the disciples in their boat were out in the middle of the lake, and he [Jesus] was alone on land, he saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning he walked out to them on the water. He started past them, but when they saw something walking along beside them, they screamed in terror, thinking it was a ghost, for they all saw him. But he spoke to them at once. “It’s all right,” he said. “It is I! Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat and the wind stopped! They just sat there, unable to take it in! For they still didn’t realize who he was, even after the miracle the evening before! For they didn’t want to believe!^{[their hearts were hardened]}

Jesus had seen them rowing and that they were in trouble, but apparently didn’t go straight to them. When He did go out to them, He made as if to walk right past. He waited for them to see Him – even though they didn’t recognise Him. When they screamed in terror, He calmed them immediately and got into the boat, and the storm subsided.

Why did He do that? Why did He wait? Why did He seem to walk past?

They still couldn’t fathom who He was. The Son of God. Their Messiah. Even after the miracles they’d seen Him perform. Even after hearing Him teach. Even after seeing the way He was with people. Even after watching Him pray.

They were constantly stretched – their minds, their hearts, their bodies.

He was needing to teach them something they hadn’t grasped before. Who He was.

We generally learn by experience. How many times does Jesus take us through circumstances because we’re not ready to see what He’s trying to show us? We think He's not seeing us. We think He's not acknowledging us. But He's wanting to show us what we've missed.

Do we grasp who He is?