“…but when they saw Him walking on the lake, they thought He was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately He spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’” — Mark 6:49-50
We Need Jesus
Jesus picked 12 disciples to do ministry with. It took multiple miracles for them to believe in Him.
At times we get into situations as athletes where we need to learn how to deal with adversity. I remember one summer as a kid, I started a baseball game on the mound, pitching. I had nothing in my bag of tricks. Fastball felt slow, curveball did not move and my control was less than stellar. After getting slapped around for two innings, I kept looking into the dugout for someone to come take me out, because the game was not going how I wanted it to. But my coach left me in because he knew it was good for me to experience adversity.
This is what happens to us when God lets us go through storms in our lives.
The word “believe” is one that can lack understanding. Believe, in this instance, is not just to believe He was a real person, not just that Jesus is God, not just that Jesus was a miracle worker, but that He is the only way to save us from our sin. A relationship with Him is not only the sweetest gift we could receive, but it is the only way we could ever enter Heaven.
That moment that God opens your heart and you take the step to accept Christ as your Savior, that belief becomes everything. In Mark 6:49, Jesus led His apostles into a storm. He let it happen. They had also just seen Him feed 5,000-plus men, women and children, but they still thought He was a ghost and cried out. They had yet to believe.
Jesus lets the storms come into our lives not to make us tougher, not to help us follow more religious rules, not to make us more Baptist, not to make us more Catholic, and not to force us into submission with Him. He does it because He loves us. He did whatever it took to save us. What are we willing to do to let people know about Him?
Once Jesus calmed the seas and got the apostles to dry land, people began to recognize Him. People did whatever it took to bring people to Jesus. Do whatever it takes for that person you know that needs Jesus. Give them that chance.
— Reid Carper
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.
