John 6:21b
” …and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.”
In the first part of this verse, we see the disciples allowing Jesus to come into their boat (although in all probability it was probably drier outside the boat than it was inside during that storm!). Then John records that “immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.” Based on the text and the geography of the area they were in, they were probably two or three miles away from shore when this happened.
Do you think John is serious about this? Did Jesus really do this kind of miracle where he transported people instantly from one place to another? Is that even possible??
Of course, feeding five thousand people with a handful of barley loaves and a few small fish is not possible either. So why should we be surprised at this? Is anything too hard for God to do? And why did he do this miracle anyway?
Based on John’s narrative, it seems likely to me that the disciples were near exhaustion. They were wet and cold, out of strength and out of courage. They were in need of help. Serious help. Jesus provided this help in the form of literally transporting them out of danger. Instantly. Imagine the relief the disciples felt when they could release their grip on the oars and breathe easy again.
Q: How would you look at Jesus the next day if you were a disciple that had seen the feeding of thousands and then been rowing through an all-night storm only to be rescued by Jesus?
I would look at him with awe and my concepts of the messiah would be challenged.
My head would be spinning. In less than 24 hours, I have watched Jesus produce more than enough food to satisfy the appetites of 5,000 people. In the middle of the night, walk 3 to 4 miles on rough sea, find me in a small boat and immediately take the full boat 3 to 4 miles to the other side of the sea. Who is this person? Where does He get the power to so easily overcome every problem, obstacle placed in His life.
How many times has Jesus cleared all the obstacles in our lives, carried us when we could not walk. How very patient has God been with each one of us as He worked in our lives to bring us to a saving, fruitful faith, and now works through us as we allow?
God is beyond our understanding, and gentile as He draws each of us to Him.
I might be pinching myself to see if it had been a dream. But it would have also been very real, dramatic and shared with others who were just as amazed. Jesus really is someone special isn’t He?