The Fourth Watch

"Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and
go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountain to pray. When
evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and He was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night He went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 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!' Then He climbed into the boat with them and the wind died down."

Mark 6:45-51

Normally I don't really like anyone calling me between 3:00 and 6:00 in the morning (the fourth watch of the night). Usually that means trouble. If the phone rings during that time I instantly get a pit in my stomach because that is just not the normal time you call someone, therefore, something must be wrong. One exception to this is when you are worried about one of your children and you get a call telling you that everything is OK. That is a welcome call. That's the kind of call you want to get in the middle of the night.

When Jesus came to His disciples during the fourth watch of the night they had been straining and fighting against the storm for some time. They were tired. They were afraid. They needed something from Jesus to help them and He gave it to them. They didn't need the assurance that the storm would be over soon. They didn't need a little humor to lighten the intensity of the situation. They didn't need a special word of prophecy or knowledge or wisdom that would help them put everything into perspective. What they needed was 3 simple phrases from their Lord: "Take courage! It is I! Don't be afraid!" When there is trouble in the middle of the night the only thing you really want and need is reassurance. That reassurance comes to us in the form of the presence of Jesus.

There are many times when I am straining like crazy at the oars of my boat, desperately trying to steer and control what is going on. I sometimes feel lost and lonely and confused. I feel like it I give up my straining I will give in to the storm and will be destoyed by it. I can sometimes get worried, fearful, and doubtful pretty easy these days. And no amount of straining at the oars seems to help. In fact, sometimes it takes away all my energy and strength which could be better placed in learning how to trust and listen to the voice of the One who comes to me in the fourth watch of the night and simply says, "Take courage! It is I! Don't be afraid!" In the end that is all I really need. The assurance of the presence of the Lord in the midst of my storm. I don't really need to know when the storm will end, or how we are going to get to the other shore (or IF we are going to get to the other shore). The most important thing I need in those moments is to hear the voice of Jesus assuring me that He is right there.

When our girls were little and were afraid or sick or unable to sleep we would rock them and sing softly to them. Eventually they would relax in our arms, not because all of their fears or illness or worries were gone, but simply because they knew someone was holding them who loved them and would never leave them in their distress.

So I for one would like more calls in the middle of the night. I would like more "fourth watch" experiences where I can simply hear the gentle, loving, reassuring voice of Jesus come to me when I am most afraid and most weary from my straining, and simply say, "Take courage! It is I! Don't be afraid!" Sometimes that's all I really need.