One of my favorite things to do at our new home on Lake Hartwell is to go paddleboarding with my therapy dog, Tuck. We head down to the dock, put on our life jackets and climb onto the paddleboard. Tuck lays down in the middle while I straddle him and steer. Actually, now that I think about it, Tuck provides no assistance in this activity. I do all of the work! When it’s sunny, warm and the lake is calm, I hardly realize I’m working my core to keep balanced and propel us forward, but when the wind picks up, it loses its charm.
One day last summer, we were on the paddleboard and moving a bit more quickly, as a storm was forecast for later that morning. We began to make the turn to head back home when the wind quickly picked up. Dark clouds surrounded us and in a matter of seconds (it seemed) we were being pelted by large raindrops and there were white capped waves crashing into the board! I was paddling with all my might, trying to keep my balance as the waves threatened to tip us over. Suddenly there was a surprise and loud thunder clap and Tuck, who is deathly afraid of loud noises (thunder, fireworks, drum lines) frantically jumped into the water, which of course caused me to lose balance and fall in right after him! I scrambled around to retrieve both Tuck and my paddle, reassuring him that I was right there with him, and somehow got us both back on the paddleboard. I decided to just stay on my knees this time, basically sitting on Tuck’s back and slowly but surely paddled us back to shore. Tuck’s fear caused him to forget that I was present and would do everything in my power to protect him.
In today’s reading, we get a glimpse of the power of Jesus’ presence in and over basically everything, whether it be the relational, natural, spiritual or physical world.
Read Luke 8:19-56
Relational Power of Presence
Jesus’ power is demonstrated in a series of events, beginning with his relationships. He is teaching in a crowded and cramped home, when His mother and brothers come, wishing to see Him. Luke’s account does not give any details as to why Jesus’ biological family - His mother and half-siblings - want to see Him, but the other gospel writers do. Mark writes that as Jesus’ family caught wind of His growing popularity with the common people and large crowds following Him everywhere, they were embarrassed and fearful. “They set out to restrain him, because they said, ‘He’s out of his mind.’” (Mark 3:21) Why was Jesus’ family wanting to quiet HIm? Perhaps it all started when He came home to Nazareth and read from Isaiah the prophet in the synagogue and caused such an uproar amongst their fellow congregants. While Jesus walked right through the crowd that was deadset on pushing Him off the cliff, His family was left to deal with the fallout, the slander and gossip. I imagine Jesus’ half-siblings in their mid-20s being asked to explain their crazy brother’s behavior; their standing in the synagogue possibly threatened. It was legitimately a lot to handle.
And what’s a mother to do? Jesus is about His Father’s business, doing what He was born to do. Mary knows that. Yet His calling has unintended consequences for His earthly family. We don’t know why Mary joined her unbelieving sons to have a conversation with Jesus. Maybe she thought, “If I can just get the boys together and they can talk, everything will be better between them,” as so many mothers of adult children naively believe. Regardless, Jesus’ response was certainly hard to hear and understand. “He replied to them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear and do the word of God.’” (v 21) Jesus’ half-brothers would eventually believe in Him, and even become leaders in the early church, but at this point in the story, they didn’t have eyes to see or ears to hear.
Power of Presence Over the Natural World
The disciples and Jesus were in a boat one day, sailing across the lake. The sky was clear, the sun warm on their faces, and Jesus laid down and fell fast asleep. When all of a sudden, out of nowhere, a fierce windstorm came up and created white water waves on what had been calm and smooth just moments before. The disciples, several of whom were expert boaters, began to fear that the vessel would capsize, killing them all, as the waves crashed over the sides of the boat and swamped the hull. Incredulous that somehow Jesus could sleep through all of the commotion, they woke Him to alert Him of the imminent danger.
“Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. So they ceased and there was a calm.” (v 24) Can you even imagine? Going from being certain you are going to die to the wind and waves immediately obeying Jesus? Their bodies still filled with fear, their heart rates still high, slowly begin to regulate and Jesus asks them, “Where is your faith?” (v 25) He comforts them with the power of His presence - “I am right here with you.” While it looked as if Jesus was checked out, oblivious to the storm raging around them, threatening to destroy them, He was right there. The disciples, relieved beyond belief that they were alive, were even more amazed at this rabbi they were following, who even had authority over the natural world.
Power of Presence Over the Spiritual World
When they finally crossed the Sea of Galilee and docked in the region of the Gerasenes, they were approached by a man tormented by hundreds of demons. Naked, wild-eyed and wild-haired, the demon-possessed man begs Jesus, “Son of the Most High God” not to torment him. Luke implies that Jesus may have commanded the demon more than once to come out of the man, but it had not obeyed and instead had thrown the man onto the ground, tormenting him, body and mind. Jesus then asks the demon his name and hears, “Legion,” indicating that this poor man was full of demons! In Luke 8:2 we read of Mary Magdalene being possessed by seven demons; this man’s situation was exponentially more dire.
Legion then begs Jesus not to banish them to the abyss, the final destination for Satan and his minions, but instead send them into a herd of pigs nearby. Jesus grants their request and all of the demons leave the man, enter the pigs and cause them to run off a nearby cliff to their death in the sea. When the townspeople hear of this event, they rush to the tombs where the demoniac had been living, alone and among the dead, but that was not who they saw now. He was free, clothed, smiling, at peace, and sitting at his Savior’s feet.
Power of Presence Over the Physical World
Jairus, a leader of his local synagogue, had an only child, a daughter, who was sick to the point of death. Out of desperation, because there was no hope, Jairus goes against his fellow leaders and begs Jesus for help. Of course, Jesus is happy to help and begins heading home with him. Simultaneously, in the same town there was a woman with a chronic blood disorder. She had struggled for twelve years with this disease. She was out of money, out of options, out of hope. She can’t approach Jesus in the crowd because of her uncleanness and shame, but in her desperation, she covers herself completely, moves amongst the crowd surrounding Jesus and touches the edge of his robe. Instantly, her bleeding stops and she is certain that she is completely healed!
“Who touched me?” (v 25) Jesus felt healing power go out from Him and wanted to know who had the faith to be healed without even asking. I imagine that this woman had not worn bright clothing in a long time, always trying to blend in and not be recognized, but here she was, caught! Yes, she was caught, but she was also clean! She came forward and looked Jesus in the eye. How many in the crowd recognized her? Were disgusted that she would have the nerve to make them all unclean by her presence? Jesus looks her right back in the eye and declares affectionately, familially, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” (v 48)
Just then, someone from Jairus’ household approaches with the worst possible news, his daughter has died. Brokenhearted, Jairus begins to sob. He had waited too late to ask Jesus for help. Jesus looks Jairus in the eye and reassures, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe and she will be saved.” (v 50) Perhaps word about the widow’s son being raised to life during the funeral procession had reached Jairus, because he continues on towards his dead daughter’s bed. Upon arrival, Jesus tells the family and mourning neighbors that the child is not dead but asleep. He is laughed at by everyone - they know she is dead. Yet Jesus continues and taking her lifeless hand in His own, tells her to get up. At Jesus’ command there was a reuniting of Jairus’ daughter’s spirit and body, resulting in the return to her former earthly life. She got up at once, no longer dead or even sick, but completely well.
Jairus and his wife were speechless! How could this be? They were so unworthy, only believing because of their desperation. Jairus obeyed Jesus’ command not to tell anyone outside that room what had happened, but after that day, he was never the same. There was amazing power in the presence of Jesus, this man of God.
Big Picture Questions for Today:
* Have you experienced a time in your life in which you were certain your life was coming to an end? Who did you call out to in that moment of extreme fear?
* Has there been a time when it looked as if Jesus was checked out, oblivious to the storm raging around you, threatening to destroy you? How did He demonstrate that He was right there with you?
Pray for eyes to see God’s power and presence in everything that comes into your life.
