PJP2 PROLOG 160209 PROLOG Focus Mark 6:49-51....

Psalm 22:21-23 (NIV/emphasis added/jaj)...."I Will Declare Your Name to my brothers; In the congregation I Will Praise You.  You who Fear The Lord, Praise Him!  All you descendants of Jacob, Honor Him!  Revere Him, all you descendants of Israel!"....

PJP2 PROLOG POST 160209 - Mark 6:49-51 (ESV/emphasis added/jaj)...."Jesus (walking on the stormy water) meant to pass by them (His disciples struggling in their boat against the wind and waves), BUT when they saw Him Walking On the sea, they thought He was a ghost and cried out, for they all Saw Him and were terrified.  BUT Immediately He Spoke to them and Said, 'Take Heart; It Is I.  Do Not Be afraid.'  AND He got Into the boat with them, And the wind Ceased.  And His disciples were utterly amazed/astounded"....

I believe I've shared with you before that I am the son of a sailor.  "Pops" Johnson, served in our U.S. Navy during WW-II.  I mention that as a context, because, I have always had a fascination for boats, ships, nautical notions and tales of the ocean.  Now, please understand, much like my earthly father before me, I am not a great swimmer, and swimming is not one of my top ten things to do.  BUT, that said, I still enjoy stories of the sea.  From God's Word one can find somewhere between 15-20 times our Lord Jesus spent time in a boat.  His first four disciples (Peter & Brother Andrew; James & Brother John) were clearly fishermen, and our Lord Jesus Promised the four 'anglers' that He would Make them 'Fishers of Men' (see Matthew 4:19).

Ok, so this particular story (Mark 6:49-51) has always been one of my favorite Jesus' Old Salt of the Sea Stories.  The Holy Spirit Inspired Matthew to record this same incident in his Gospel Account (Matthew 14:22-32), as well as John (John 6:16-21).  Interesting to note in Matthew's account, we see Good Old Impetuous Peter ask our Lord Jesus to Call Peter to Come to Him on  the water.....Note:  Be Careful What You Ask For is one moral of Peter's Water Walk.  Another is FOCUS, and a third is TRUST our Lord Jesus....(Wow, that's not the PJP2 PROLOG POST 160209 Pondering The Spirit initially set before me, BUT, BAAM....there you get an additional freebie... :)

Anyway, sorry, I got distracted, imagine that....The Point I Hear The Holy Spirit Making regards Mark 6:49-51 is three-fold:  (1) 'Take Heart; It Is I.  Do Not Be afraid.'; (2) His Strength vs ours; (3) He Gets In with us - Both Facing our storms head on, as well as Calming our seas at the Perfect Time....

What an Encouraging Word!  To Know that our Lord Jesus Christ is Ever Prepared to Calm the storm around us and within us.  He is Always Sharing His Word to us to 'Take Heart; It Is I.  Do Not Be afraid.'  He is Ever in our boat with us, and NEVER will we sink with Him.

My prayer for us today would simply be - Lord Jesus, Captain of our Soul, Strengthen and Renew our Focus on You and You Alone.  Holy Spirit, though the waves of Life are crashing around us, and the winds of distraction strive to blow us off-course, Be With us, as You were with the disciples.  Father God, May we Come to You, Walking on the waters of Life, Knowing that as long as our Focus is Fully-On You and You Alone, You Will Keep us Afloat.  Lord Jesus, we Love and Praise You.  We Ask All These Things in Your Holy Name....Amen/Amen...jaj

A Blessed Day to you and yours....jaj