Thursday 23rd February
Read John 6:16-21
“When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, ‘It is I; don’t be afraid.’ 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.” (NIVUK)
Control over the waters is a marker of the divine. The Spirit of God hovered over the darkened waters in the beginning and imposed light and order (cf Genesis 1). Yahweh parted the waters to save His people and then closed the waters to let chaos destroy His enemies (cf Exodus 15). The seas bow down before His justice and power (cf Habakkuk 2; Psalm 95) and here in the gospels, Jesus walks across them as if they are dry land. It is an immense image of power of creation but it is also a picture of heaven meeting earth.
On Patmos, when John is shown an image of the heavenly ruler, he sees that “From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.” (Revelation 4:5-6) (NIVUK). A completely solid sea, clear and transparent to reflect the light and glory of God, no waves rising up in chaos, no challenge to the authority and power of God. When Jesus strolls upon the waters, it is as if heaven meets earth. Mark and Matthew both report that the sea became still when Jesus arrived with His disciples, still like glass…
The biblical picture of the sea as a source of chaos and disorder and terror, yet controlled and bowed down before the Lord for us, explains why, at the very end, when everything is created new John “saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” (Revelation 21:1) (NIVUK). No need for fear any longer. For the presence of the Lord provides surety and hope amidst darkness and chaos, and both have been banished when He returns or He is with us (v20).
