All Night Long

Sometimes when I read a familiar story in The Bible, I examine for a sentence or two that I would normal overlook.

In today's Gospel reading from Matthew, the story is one many will know as Jesus walking on the water.

A lot happens when Jesus approaches the boat being tossed about by the wind and waves, but before he sets out early in the morning to rescue or calm his friends, he goes up to pray alone.

And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. - Matthew 14:23-25

What intrigues me in this scene is the amount of time that passes from when Jesus sees his friends are in trouble to when he sets out to help them.

They were struggling and battling the sea all night long.

It reminds me of the battle between Jacob and the stranger, when they struggled all night long (Genesis 35).

If there is a message here it might be that while God is close and we are never out of His sight, we may still need to deal with our struggles ourselves, at least for a while.

It is both reassuring and frustrating, isn't it?

When we need help, we want it now.  But it may not come when we want it.

I may not like that, but I can accept it.  It is like a parent watching a child do his math homework, knowing the answer and not wanting to do it for him.  He will feel so much better when he gets it himself, but it is a struggle to watch him go through it.

The moment I intercede, how will he feel?

More to come...