And Jesus Had Not Joined Them

W

here was he?  He promised he would be there and that he would be there on time.  It wasn’t like Jason to be late.  In fact, he was the one who insisted on being everywhere fifteen minutes early.  Sarah remembered the time they had shown up at the corner market at 5:45 in the morning just so Jason could have his pick of the fresh strawberries.  It wasn’t like the strawberries would start to sour at 6:00, but that was Jason.  No excuses—always on time.

So what could be the hold up?  Sarah promised herself there was some logical explanation and that he wouldn’t be more than five or ten minutes late at the most.  So you can imagine her shock when, after a full hour, no Jason.  She began to pace back and forth, what could be keeping him.  On at least five occasions she picked up the phone to call the local authorities but she changed her mind at the last second.

They had arranged to have dinner at their local restaurant and had made a reservation for 7:30.  But it was now 9:00 and Jason had not joined her.  Sarah was beside herself and just as she rose to leave she saw him coming through the door.  He looked absolutely fine, not a hair out of place and not one wrinkle in his suit.  And to beat it all he was smiling!  That upset her all the more but when he got to her, she was simply so overjoyed to see him that all the fear and worry disappeared.

Now, Sarah and Jason are obviously fictitious characters and yet there story could have happened just yesterday, to any one of us.  None of us like to be left wondering if someone we care for is injured or if some circumstance has caused them to delay their promised arrival.  Jesus’ disciples were no different and on the Sea of Galilee one stormy evening, they experienced in the real what was only imaginary in the story of Jason and Sarah.

In John 6:17 we read these words, “By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them.”  What dejection there is in these words. The disciples had just spent the most miraculous afternoon with Jesus.  They had seen him take five loaves and two fish and feed over five thousand people until they were completely stuffed.  There were 12 baskets of leftovers and everyone knew they had been in the presence of the Messiah.

Now, they found themselves all alone on the Sea of Galilee with the darkness closing in all around them.  Hour after hour they had looked for and hoped to see their Master but alas, he had not come.  Had something happened to him?  Had some unforeseen circumstance prevented him from coming?  All these uncertainties were only compounded by the growing darkness.

The sea of life is much the same.  How often do we strain at the bough of our boat looking for Jesus only to find darkness?  How often do we seek shelter from the storm or try to hide ourselves from the blustering winds of trials only to find the waves growing stronger and the gusts gaining in strength.  It seems it is dark and that Jesus will not join us.

But just when we are at our wits’ end, just when we are ready to give up, we hear his voice saying, “It is I be not afraid!”  Jesus, our master always comes to us.  He promised he would never leave us nor forsake us and even though we think he delays in coming to our rescue, we find that he is always on time.  No matter how dark it is around you, rest assured that Jesus loves you and will join you right where you are just when you need him most.