"And he saw them being tormented in rowing; for the wind was against them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and was intending to pass by them." [Mk 6:48]
Sometimes it can appear to us that Jesus is far away. It can feel as though He has forgotten about us or doesn’t care, that perhaps He is too busy. Sometimes it may appear as though God is a God who is far off and not near. But in fact, our feelings in these times betray us; for they are not true. Jesus is never far off, but near; though we see Him not, yet He is near. In Jeremiah, God says,
“Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD." [Jer 23:23-24]
God is near. Remember what David wrote, when he asked rhetorically, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?” [Psa 139:7] The answer, of course, is nowhere; for God is near. Even as David says again, “thou art near, O LORD…” [Psa 119:151]
In the gospels, after Jesus had fed many people with a miracle of bread, Mark writes, “And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.” [Mk 6:45] Jesus urged his disciples to leave while He, the next verse says, “departed into a mountain to pray.” [Mk 6:46] This was the occasion where as John says “the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew” [Jn 6:18] and where “the ship was in the midst of the sea, and [Jesus] alone on the land.” [Mk 6:47] The disciples, by Jesus’ own command, were thrust suddenly into a storm during the night, while Jesus was seemingly nowhere to be found.
I am sure we have all felt, or will feel, as the disciples did in this moment. No doubt they were fearful, wondering where Jesus was or what would become of them. But though the disciples may have felt this way, Mark gives us insight which they did not have: that Jesus “saw them being tormented in rowing.” [Mk 6:48] Even though they felt alone, struggling against the wind, trying with all their might to travel the direction given to them by Jesus, Christ saw them upon that mountain, His watchful eye being always over them, even like The LORD proclaims to Jerusalem in Isaiah, “behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands: thy walls are continually before me.” [Isa 49:16] Truly, our God who guards us “through faith unto salvation” is a God who “shall neither slumber nor sleep.” [1 Pe 1:5, Psa 121:4] Though we may at times think He sleeps, He does not. Though we during such a storm as the disciples may feel Jesus’ presence afar off; yet, He is near altogether, watching us and praying for us. The Psalms encourage us this way, saying, “I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities.” [Psa 31:7]
In addition to Jesus always having oversight over what we are going through, He is also praying for us and our troubles, even as Mark told us that Jesus “departed into a mountain to pray.” [Mk 6:46] For in Hebrews we are promised,
“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” [Heb 7:25]
Just as Jesus upon that mount prayed for the disciples, seeing their torments; so too now, Jesus in the mount of God, seated at The Father’s right hand as our High Priest, continually prays for us, seeing our adversity and having compassion upon us, even as a father for his child or a groom for his bride.
Though we may feel at times distant and lost, let us remember,
"God is our refuge and strength, an exceedingly near help in distress. Therefore will not we fear...Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled" [Psa 46:1; 2a; 3a]
As The Psalmist responded to his doubts, “Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?,” the answer is clear when we begin to feel as if Jesus has left us or is no longer interested: “And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.” [Psa 77:7-11] Jesus is indeed intimately involved with our affairs, being very near in trouble, and always praying for us.
Click here to see other posts in Daily Meditations on The Glory of Jesus, Vol I