LET US PASS OVER

“And the same day, when the even was come, He saith unto them, LET US PASS OVER UNTO THE OTHER SIDE.” (Mark 4:35).

 

How precious is God’s Word!  It is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.  It illuminates our way through the gross darkness of sin, deceit, and confusion that besieges us today.  Not only does it lighten those external things around us, but also it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of our own hearts.   Every day, the Lord wants to come and share something of His Word and of Himself with us that we might grow, and it is up to us either to receive and believe or reject and neglect.  Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20).  This applies to every child of God.  The Lord wants to share His heavenly Manna and allow us to sup from the Bread of Life.  It is up to us to open the door to Him, though, whether it’s a “hard saying” or a comforting word that He wishes to share with us.

 

Jesus made this all very clear in His parable of the sower.  He said, “The sower soweth the word.” (Mark 4:14).  We can and should apply this parable every time we hear the Word; whether it is sown by another brother or sister, a preacher, our own personal Bible study, or just God speaking to our hearts through His Holy Spirit something that He wants us to know.  However it comes, and however God chooses to speak to us, we want to be sure that we allow the precious seed to find good ground In our hearts that it may bear good fruit.  And how do we do that?  “Thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.” (Jeremiah 4:3).  By rending our hearts in true repentance (break up your fallow ground), and removing from our lives all sin and false pleasures and lusts (sow not among thorns), we are preparing a fertile seed bed for God’s Word to grow in our lives and we will bring forth fruit many fold.

 

“And with many such parables spake He the word unto them, AS THEY WERE ABLE TO HEAR IT.” (Mark 4:33).  Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.  Our faith is triggered by God’s Word.  We hear what God says, and then we act on what we hear.  When Jesus went into His home town to preach the Word, the people there were offended in Him and wouldn’t hear His Word, therefore they had no faith in what He spoke and, “He did not many mighty works there because of their unbe­lief.” (Matthew 13:58).  In order to hear the Word we must first seek it, and desire it.  “Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst . . . for they shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6).  A man who is full or satisfied will not receive one bite more, no matter how tasty it might be; but he that is hungry enough will be thankful for even things that he would not normally care for or choose to eat.  “The full soul loatheth the honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.” (Proverbs 27:7).

 

After Jesus taught His disciples about the sower, the Word, and faith, He allowed them a practical application of all that they had heard.  “And the same day, when the even was come, He saith unto them, LET US PASS OVER UNTO THE OTHER SIDE.”  The Sower sowed the Word!  Jesus expressed God’s divine will - “Let us pass over!"

 

“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest Thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:37, 38).  How easy it was for them to forget what Christ had spoken to them before they were caught up in the midst of the tempest.  Jesus' word had never changed; His purpose was still clear, but because of what the disciples saw with their eyes happening around them, God’s will seemed to them impossible.  Oh, how we need to learn to trust His Word beyond what we can see or understand with our natural mind!

 

How many times has God spoken to us His purpose and then too quickly we’ve found ourselves in the midst of some storm?  Do you think that it’s coincidence?  No, it’s the Father’s hand allowing the fire to purge our faith of all of its imperfections.  God’s will never changed - it’s His will that we pass over in victory – it’s our faith that falters.  Whether it be to overcome some trial or temptation in our life or make a stand for the gospel in the face of persecution; whatever it be, the tempest comes to try our faith, whether we really believe that God can help us pass over or not.  In all things He is teaching us this truth: “Trust In the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In ALL thy ways acknow­ledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5,6). 

 

Jesus was asleep in the ship all along - the perfect picture of divine peace and rest.  The storm did not shake His confidence in the Father.  He could see things in the spirit­ual with the “eyes of understanding” and not merely after the outward appearance.  But the disciples thought that it was all over and the Lord didn’t care.  Have you ever told the Lord, “Don’t you care what’s happening to me,” or, “One moment more and I’m going to crack.”  Shame on us!  Jesus knows better than we do just how much we can bear, and He is able to work all things together for our good and for our ultimate profit.  “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17, 18).

 

“And He arose, and rebuked the wind, arid said unto the sea, Peace, be still.  And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.  And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" (Mark 4:39, 40).  Praise God!  No matter how hot the fire or intense the storm, Jesus is able to command peace at any time.  He will not suffer it to destroy us.  He is in control at all times, asleep in our vessel; perhaps perfecting what is lacking in our faith, or in our walk. 

 

The disciples received a reproof for failing in the practical application of what they had just learned that day.  How often have we been ashamed of our own unbelief after we have come out on the other side of some storm in our lives.  We need the pure inner peace that comes from faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the precious Word of Life.  He is always able to bring a “great calm” into our life after every trial.

 

“Let us pass over unto the other side,” is Jesus’ Word for each of us today.  He has authored our salvation, and it is He that will also finish it.  “ALL power is given Me in heaven and In earth. Go ye therefore.”  It is because He has received all power that we can now go forth!  Let us be faithful and seek the Lord with all humility that we might know His will, and then let us be faithful and prepare Him room in our hearts to grow and blossom and bear much fruit to the glory of God the Father.  Hallelujah!  Amen!