The Walk
A reading for Friday, March 28, 2014: Mark 6:47-56.
A have friends whose son has just learned how to walk. Once he could not even stand, and was limited to crawling along the floor, and now he stands up and walks just like the rest of us. It's a pretty amazing transformation.
It has been a while since my own children were at this phase of life, and I was intrigued to watch the process. My friends, his parents, at first walked along with him holding his hands. Then he held their hands as he walked. Then, when it was time to "step off on his own," his parents would walk behind just close enough to help if something went wrong. He couldn't see them but they were always there because they loved him and wanted to the best for him. He fell often, and sometimes even cried, but his parents were always there just close by enough to comfort him, help him stand, and watch him "step off on his own" again.
In today's lesson Jesus sends the disciples off "on their own" while he stayed back to dismiss the crowd and pray. Yet, we learn quickly Jesus is never far away. When the disciples get in trouble on the sea, Jesus is there to comfort them, and to calm their storm. They continue on together.
It seems to me that sometimes Jesus is just like my friends teaching their son to walk. He holds our hands as we first learn to follow him, and then we hold his, and then finally when we are ready to be bold and try something of faith on our own. Jesus walks behind us in case we get in trouble. We can't always see him, but truth is he is always there.
Normally, I like the image of following Jesus more than imagining we are out in front, but it's pretty amazing to know that Jesus is never very far away even if I can't always see him. Grace and peace upon you for your walk today!
A have friends whose son has just learned how to walk. Once he could not even stand, and was limited to crawling along the floor, and now he stands up and walks just like the rest of us. It's a pretty amazing transformation.
It has been a while since my own children were at this phase of life, and I was intrigued to watch the process. My friends, his parents, at first walked along with him holding his hands. Then he held their hands as he walked. Then, when it was time to "step off on his own," his parents would walk behind just close enough to help if something went wrong. He couldn't see them but they were always there because they loved him and wanted to the best for him. He fell often, and sometimes even cried, but his parents were always there just close by enough to comfort him, help him stand, and watch him "step off on his own" again.
In today's lesson Jesus sends the disciples off "on their own" while he stayed back to dismiss the crowd and pray. Yet, we learn quickly Jesus is never far away. When the disciples get in trouble on the sea, Jesus is there to comfort them, and to calm their storm. They continue on together.
It seems to me that sometimes Jesus is just like my friends teaching their son to walk. He holds our hands as we first learn to follow him, and then we hold his, and then finally when we are ready to be bold and try something of faith on our own. Jesus walks behind us in case we get in trouble. We can't always see him, but truth is he is always there.
Normally, I like the image of following Jesus more than imagining we are out in front, but it's pretty amazing to know that Jesus is never very far away even if I can't always see him. Grace and peace upon you for your walk today!
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