耶稣的门徒们因风不顺，摇橹甚苦。耶稣远远看见他们的挣扎，就在惊涛骇浪中向他们走去。但当门徒们看见他，都很惊慌，以为他是海上的鬼怪。
耶稣本可以留在岸上，吩咐风平静下来。至少，先让海平静下来，会让他更容易地在上面行走。但耶稣却在混乱中加入门徒，走了一条最艰难的路，爬上摇摆的船和他们在一起。“不要害怕”，在平静风浪前祂这样说。
在这个故事中，耶稣向我们显明神的心肠，当我们在现今生活的风暴中挣扎时，这一点仍能安慰我们：耶稣看见了我们的挣扎，祂靠近我们，和我们一起走过风暴——无论祂是否要平息风暴。
在医生打电话告诉我癌症复发的前一晚，我就这个故事写了一篇短文。我很快就意识到，神已经预备我来面对这件事了，因为在乌云出现之前，祂就已经看见那即将来临的暴风雨了。
你有没有在暴风雨中感受到耶稣的同在？仔细听祂对你的耳语：“放心，是我，不要怕。”
耶稣，感谢你，当我们在生活的风暴中挣扎时，你没有远远站着，而是在我们呼求之前就靠近我们。求让我们倚靠你，除去我们的恐惧。阿们。
马可福音 6:45-52
45耶稣随即催门徒上船，先渡到那边伯赛大去，等他叫众人散开。
46他既辞别了他们，就往山上去祷告。
47到了晚上，船在海中，耶稣独自在岸上，
48看见门徒因风不顺摇橹甚苦。夜里约有四更天，就在海面上走，往他们那里去，意思要走过他们去。
49但门徒看见他在海面上走，以为是鬼怪，就喊叫起来，
50因为他们都看见了他，且甚惊慌。耶稣连忙对他们说：“你们放心！是我，不要怕！”
51于是到他们那里，上了船，风就住了。他们心里十分惊奇，
52这是因为他们不明白那分饼的事，心里还是愚顽。
"Then [Jesus] climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down." — Mark 6:51
Storm winds were raging as Jesus’ disciples fought to keep their boat afloat. Jesus saw their struggle from afar and walked out to them on the wild waves. When they saw him, they were terrified, thinking he was a ghost on the stormy sea.
Jesus could have remained on the shore and commanded the winds to tame down. At the very least, quieting the sea first might have made his walking out there easier. But instead Jesus joined his disciples in the turbulence, took the most difficult route, and then climbed into the rocking boat to be with them. “Don’t be afraid,” he said before calming the storm.
In this story, Jesus demonstrates the heart of God that still comforts us today as we battle life’s storms. Jesus sees our struggles, comes near to us, and goes through the storm with us—whether or not he decides to calm or stop it.
The night before my doctor called to tell me that my cancer had returned, I had written a skit about this story. I soon realized that God had prepared me for what I was about to face, for he saw what was approaching even before the first cloud appeared.
Have you felt the presence of Jesus in your storm? Listen closely as he whispers to you, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Jesus, thank you that you don’t stand at a distance when we are struggling against the storms of life. Instead, you come before we even call. Please calm our fears as we cling to you. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
