COMFORT IN TIMES OF TROUBLE

Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side. Matthew  14:22.

The miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 is recorded in all four Gospels (Mat 14:13-21; Mar 6:35-44; Luk 9:12-17; JohN 6:4-13). It was definitely a miracle. Those who teach that the Lord Jesus only encouraged the people to bring out their own hidden lunches have ignored the clear statements of God’s Word. John 6:14 definitely calls the event a “sign” or “miracle.” Would the crowd have wanted to crown Jesus King simply because He tricked them into sharing their lunches? (John 6:14-15) Not likely!

It takes little imagination to picture the embarrassing plight of the disciples. Here were more than 5,000 hungry people and they had nothing to feed them! Certainly the disciples knew that Jesus was powerful enough to meet the need, yet they did not turn to Him for help. Instead, they took inventory of their own food supply (a lad had five barley loaves and two fish) and their limited treasury. When they considered the time (evening) and the place (a desolate place), they came to the conclusion that nothing could be done to solve the problem. Their counsel to the Lord was: “Send them away!”

The Lord watched His frustrated disciples as they tried to solve the problem, but “He Himself knew what He would do” (John 6:6). He wanted to teach them a lesson in faith and surrender. Note the steps we must take in solving life’s problems.

After this miracle the Lord constrained His disciples to go across the Sea of Galilee to Bethsaida.  On the way over a storm arose and the disciples were in grave danger, "tossed with waves for the wind was contrary". Mark’s Gospel tells us "He saw them toiling" (Mar 6:48). 

Do we realise that in times of trouble the Lord is nearer than we think? The disciples felt abandoned, yet they should have remembered that the Lord had encouraged them to go and He knew what He was doing.

Sometimes the Lord either deliberately sends or allows difficulties in our lives (James 1:2). Our Christian life is filled with problems. They come uninvited and unexpected. Some trials come simply because we are human — sickness, accidents, disappointments, etc. Other trials come because we are Christians. Satan fights us, the world opposes us, and this makes for a life of battle.

When God called Abraham to live by faith, He tested him in order to increase his faith. God always tests us to bring out the best; Satan tempts us to bring out the worst. The testing of our faith proves that we are truly born again. These problems then are really “friends” which come to aid us to develop Christian character.

God has never said we will miss the storms of life, but He has promised us that He will be right there with us through the storm and we will make the harbour. So whether it is a food problem, or the dangers of being at sea, etc, the Lord gives comfort in times of difficulty.