“LEAVING THE CROWD!”

 Mark 4:35-41                        (ESV)

“35 On that day, when evening had come, HE said to them, "LET US GO ACROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE."

36 And “LEAVING THE CROWD”, they took HIM with them in the boat, just as HE was. And other boats were with HIM.

37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.

38 But HE was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke HIM and said to HIM, "TEACHER, do YOU not care that we are perishing?"

39 And HE awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 HE said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?"

41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "WHO then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey HIM?" 

This report of happenings of JESUS and HIS disciples can be read so quickly that we miss a very important nugget.  Usually when reading this it is about JESUS calming the storm.  However, GOD has a way of OPENING my EYES at the most awkward moments!  When I read this passage recently I was amazed that I saw the words “LEAVING THE CROWD”, like they had just been written?  

“LET US GO ACROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE” is the message that I have focused on before.  JESUS had told HIS followers that they were going to arrive on the other side of (most probably) the Sea of Galilee.  But before they got into the boat they had to “LEAVE THE CROWD”!  They had to get away with JESUS, all by themselves!  

The storm didn’t just come up on the boat JESUS was in.  Verse 36 says “And other boats were with HIM”, so apparently they ALL had tumultuous weather.  JESUS calmed the sea, but then asked “Why are you so afraid?” It was as if JESUS was asking didn’t you hear ME tell you “LET US GO ACROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE”?  “I wasn’t just small talking to fill the time”!  “I told you and you didn’t believe ME”?!?

When GOD tells us through HIS WORD that something is going to happen, you can write it down because......IT WILL HAPPEN!  JESUS promised us that HE would NEVER LEAVE US (Matthew 28:20), so why do we fret when “things don’t go our way”?  Maybe we need to begin with “LEAVING THE CROWD” and getting ALONE WITH JESUS???