Mark 6:47-48 – “As night fell, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on the land. The wind was against the disciples, and He could see that they were straining at the oars, trying to make headway.”

A reality gripped my consciousness as I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today.  It was a reminder that we all need to be reminded of frequently.

Something powerful unfolded in Mark’s account of feeding the 5,000 with two loaves and five small fish.   After the miracle, Jesus sent the disciples away to sail to the other side of the sea.   He sent them into life without His physical presence.   This was a teaching experience.  We must learn to function in His authority in life.

Mark 6:47-48 is a powerful reminder of the realities of life.   Life is filled with adversity.  When the winds of adversity come, there are two distinct possibilities for the followers of Jesus.   What was happening to them depicts us too frequently.   We strain at the oars, trying to make headway.  Human effort produces human results, which are always inadequate or deficient.

Jesus saw them!   He knew they were struggling!   He could have spoken to the storm and calmed the waters from the shore but didn’t. Why?  The storm was a classroom session.  They were missing a revelation that we must embrace to walk victorious.

Jesus came to them in their darkest hour, saying, “Don’t yield to fear. Have courage. It’s really Me – I AM!”   He got in the boat, and immediately, there was calm.  This left them awestruck!  Their natural thinking blocked the revelation that would have transported them through the storm.  Mark 6:52 reveals, “Their doubting hearts had not grasped His authority and power over all things in spite of just having witnessed the miraculous feeding.”

They saw it but saw it not as an example of the authority He gives the believer but as something He did.   

• We forget that He said the works He did and greater works we are to do.  
• We forget that He said ALL authority over the powers of darkness is ours through Him. 
• We forget that He said NOTHING is impossible to the one who believes!

Therefore, we strain at the oars with human natural effort and ability rather than with the tools He has given.  Victory is in Who He is, What He says, and Who we are in Him.  The victory is in believing Him!

What path will we take? Will we strain at the oars or roll it all onto Him? Will we try to do it, or will we be it through Him?   It is in what we see and perceive!  We are more than conquerors IN Him.  We are weak humans with inadequate ability without Him.   Which will we be?

Choices are ours; choices have benefits and consequences, so choose wisely.

Lord, help us to cease straining at the oars of life in our own strength and allow Him to be our strength!