LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, October 8, 2026

Imagine that you’re at a Bible conference being held in a gymnasium. You’ve been invited to sit on the bleachers next to the teacher listening to him tell stories. The stories are very difficult to understand. In between each story he stops and whispers the meaning of the story to you while everyone else in the gym has to wait.  This goes on for over 8 hours. Everyone, including yourself, is extremely tired. When everyone is dismissed the teacher asks you if you’d be willing to go on a trip with him at the end of the day. You’re not sure you can handle any more time invested in this. But your interest has been piqued so you agree.

This is the scenario we find the disciples in with Jesus in the Gospel of Mark chapter 4. They’ve been sitting in a boat all day while Jesus teaches the people who have gathered on the shore. He’s teaching in parables which the people do not understand but Jesus explains the stories to his disciples. It’s been a long day and they’re all very tired. Then we read this:

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”

Jesus asked the disciples to take him in the boat across to the other side of the sea of Galilee. It’s a long row but the weather looks good so they agree. Lots of the people get into boats also and follow them. Suddenly a storm develops and while Jesus is sleeping in the front of the boat these experienced fishermen are fearful that the boat might capsize.

They wake up Jesus and ask him if he really cares about what they’re going through. And the response of Jesus is incredibly important. He doesn’t justify his napping. He doesn’t try to correct the disciples wrong impression of him. He simply speaks and solves the problem. And even after hearing all of his stories and all of his explanations the disciples wonder who this man could be.

There are several things we can relate to in this story. We have days like this. Days that are filled with strength sapping circumstances that require extraordinary endurance. Days that ask more of us than what we are willing to give. Days that overwhelm us with fear that life itself may be coming to an end.

But I wonder how well we can relate to what this story really teaches us? On that day, or any day like it, Jesus is there. He’s there to give you the peace that allowed him to stay at rest while everything was going wrong. He’s there with the power to change the circumstances so that your fear is removed. He’s there to show you who he is.

So when you have one of those days just remember that on that day Jesus is there. It may seem like he’s sleeping and doesn’t care, but he’s aware of everything you’re going through and he cares about how you can grow in your faith by going through it with him.

Pastor John