S.O.A.P. on Mark 6

by Ali Berger (our new youth intern!)

Scripture:

Mark 6: 49-50: “but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Observation:

- Jesus had told the disciples to get in their boat and begin to go to Bethsaida, while Jesus stayed behind and went to the mountainside to pray.

- Jesus saw the disciples struggling to travel against the wind, so He walked out on the water to them. - Jesus meets us where we are at. He desires to carry us through the “storms” of life.

- The disciples are filled with unbelief and are scared, thinking that Jesus is a ghost. -A perfect example of how we react in situations that we do not trust God with and do not expect Him to show up in. When He does reveal Himself in those situations, sometimes we do not recognize that it is Him, and the love and compassion that He has for us.

- Jesus speaks to them and commands them to take courage, affirms His presence, and tells them not to be afraid.

- When Jesus commands His disciples to “take courage” He uses and explanation point. They are seldom used throughout the Bible. This stresses the importance of His command to take courage!

- Courage is defined as: the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.

Application:

- What am I fearful of?

- Do I try to take care of my fears by myself, or do I give God control of my fears?

- Do I look for God’s presence in every situation, or am I filled with unbelief?

- In the storms of life, am I courageous in Christ?

- I can give control of my fears to God, and let Him begin to conquer my fears. I can look for God’s presence in every situation. I can spend more time studying God’s word so that when storms come my way, my faith is rooted in Christ and I will have the courage to face the storms and conquer them with God by my side. 

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your desire to meet me where I’m at. Thank You that You do reveal Yourself not only amidst our storms, but daily. Help me to recognize Your presence in my life and to make decisions as a courageous believer. I give You control of my fears, and I ask that you calm and heal them, so that I may no longer be afraid, but be able to face trials courageously. I love You, Lord. Thank you for delivering me.