ESOCS Devotional 29 March 2023
MEMORY VERSE: “They were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!” Mark 6:50 NLT
TEXT: MARK 6:45-56
45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them,49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
Some people have a misconception about following Jesus. They believe following Jesus and doing God’s will is going to produce less problems, less storms, less trials, and less troubles. In some ways yes, but in some ways no. Sometimes God will send you into a storm. Sometimes He will “insist” that you head a certain direction, get involved in a certain ministry, or make a certain decision that He knows is going to lead into the middle of a violent storm that you alone cannot handle. But even when He does that, He still has His eye on you.
Jesus made something very clear about this world. He said in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (NIV). Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:12, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (NLT). The point is, following Jesus is not going to be easy. It’s going to be difficult. You will encounter trouble. God may even lead you into a storm. When you follow Jesus there will be those who mistreat you because of your commitment to Him. But even as all these things happen, God’s eye is always watching. You are never out of God’s sight.
Sometimes when you are in “serious trouble,” you may start to think that your situation has slipped under Jesus’ radar. But if you are going through “trouble” today, you can rest assured that Jesus sees that you are in trouble, that you are in a storm and you are struggling.
You are never out of God’s sight. You might feel that you are stuck out in the middle of nowhere far away from God’s watchful eye, but it’s not true. God sees it all. He knows your situation. He knows what you are going through. Whenever you find yourself in the middle of one of life’s storms, you are never out of God’s sight.
The Lord is aware of your situation even before it happens and He remains in control of the situation at every moment. The omniscience of God (His ability to see and know everything) is unlimited in its scope and universal in its sight.
The omniscient Jesus had not abandoned His disciples to the storm. He knew exactly where they were and how He would deliver them. You are never out of God’s reach.
- Are perturbed by the realities around you?
- Lord Jesus thank you for your reassuring words, give me the wings of faith to rise above my fears. Amen.
FURTHER READING: Exodus 13:17-14:4; 2 Kings 6:8-23; Romans 3: 21-end
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ESOCS Devotional 29 March 2023
