I have great experience with road trips and children, and youth! And on every trip there’s always a repeated question:
Are we there yet?
When Jesus walked across the sea and revealed Himself to His disciples, two things happened:
- They eventually recognized Him
- They welcomed Him into the boat
So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. – John 6:21
No doubt they were physically weary and emotionally drained. His presence would have brought immediate relief. He also brought them immediately to the other shore.
In the middle of churning seas and high winds, they had rowed with all their might. It’s quite likely they were afraid for their lives. Despite their labors, they were only about half way to the opposite side of the Sea of Galilee. It probably seemed like an eternity…Until Jesus stepped into the boat.
In Christ
The Apostle Paul could have easily had this event in mind when he wrote to the Ephesians. Using his favorite phrase, In Christ, he described our lives before and after we welcomed Christ into our boats:
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Our faith in Christ results in a relationship with Him that so secure, so anchored, that Paul says we are already there. There may come a time you’re tempted to ask, Are we there yet? When we talk about our salvation and following Jesus, the answer is, Yes, we actually are.
Knowing our faith in Christ provides the certainty of heaven, what can we possibly lose if we live for Him fully while we are here? He deserves 100% of our time, talents, and treasures.
We are armed with that great security. But Jesus has sent us on mission to represent Him to the world. So we have every reason to be bold, unafraid, and to keep rowing no matter what storms may arise. Why? Others need Jesus.
