Game Changer Week 3: Devotional Day 7

Game Changer Week 3: Devotional Day 7

Fighting Fear

DAY 7 – Sunday

Daily devotional

Read

Mark 6: 51-52

Dig Deeper: Mark 6:45-52 Romans 1:17, Romans 3:22-30, Hebrews 6: 11-12, Hebrews 11

Ask

  • What didn’t the disciples understand about the loaves?
  • Have you allowed your heart to harden after or during difficult times?
  • Are there loaves (God’s provisions) in your life that you didn’t understand, so consequently you hardened your heart.
  • Do you need to seek repentance regarding a hard heart?

Reflect  

Jesus got into the boat and the wind ceased! He has the power over nature! HE has the power over the storm within us from the outward waves around and outside of us. Being with Jesus calms the storms. Sometimes we still have to navigate through deep waters, but Jesus will calm yours and my fears (storms). One of the consequences of being with Jesus is safety and peace. Jesus helps overcome the storms of my life and of yours.

During my year and a half of treatment for breast cancer in 2002-2003, fear seemed to raise its ugly head often. There were times when I said over and over again, “I choose to follow you, Lord Jesus. I choose to follow you!” I didn’t know what else to do. I had to run to the lover of my soul and be with him! During struggles and trepidations, faith is a decision. It is a choice. It is not something that happens automatically or evolves. We choose faith. Jesus is already calling to us. Declaring himself to us as the “I AM”. Quoting Edwards again: “Discipleship is more endangered by lack of faith and hardness of heart than by external dangers. (Mark 3:5, 4:41, 5:17)

And here we are with the last sentence of our passage. “And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened”.

The loaves should have reminded these Jewish fishermen, tax collector, and zealot of the mana in the wilderness. That God miraculously provided food for his children and Jesus was doing the same for them. There were 12 baskets left over! One for each of them. It is recorded that “all ate and were satisfied”. But they didn’t understand. Do you and I?

Fear can be conquered because Jesus has done it for us. He died on the cross and conquered death. We have been forewarned this week regarding fear. We know that we will have to get into some boats that we really don’t want to get into. We need to remember God’s faithfulness and who Jesus is. He is the “I AM”. We need to show compassion just as Jesus was and is, and we need to choose Faith.

Jesus sees you, and longs for you to see him face to face.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba Father!” (Romans 8:15)