Day 9 | 40 Days through Mark

Read it again. All together.

Maybe this is not two different stories, but parts of the same story. Jesus has spent the day teaching the crowds. He is tired. It is already evening, but he surprises them. “Let us cross over to the other side.” Hmmm. Risky time, risky waters, risky territory. The seas are traditionally places of chaos, mystery, and where unholy dangers lurk. This particular sea is prone to sudden storms, and where they are going is Gentile country. But they are experienced sailors, so they set out.

Whether recovering from the day or preparing for what is ahead, Jesus takes a nap.

In the darkness, the wind rises. The water churns. The waves crash. “Jesus! Don’t you care?!”

He surprises them again – and speaks not to them but to the wind and sea. Not to God but as God. The sea calms, the winds quiet. 

They reach the other side. A hostile place of idolatry, a graveyard, and the tormented scream of a violent, dangerous demoniac mixed with the noisy grunts of 2,000 pigs! Unclean. Unholy. The demons know exactly who has arrived, and they immediately try to strike a deal. But his holiness is not diminished and his righteousness is not threatened by the uncleanness it encounters. Jesus does not debate, bargain, or negotiate. He has come to deliver a tortured soul from the tyranny of evil. To set a captive free, to bring good news to a lost and broken world. He demonstrates that God’s authority is universal – and so is his redemptive purpose. 

Whether we identify with the faltering faith of the disciples or the incredulous gratitude of the newest believer, if we have accepted Christ as our savior, we have been given access to all the resources of the Kingdom and commissioned to participate in his glorious mission. Perhaps this is the greatest surprise of all!