The Boat Phase: The Gift of The "in-between"

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Has God ever told you he was gonna take you somewhere or bless you with something and mid-way you started feeling like He was taking too long? 

Like…you could’ve come up with at least 3 low-risk alternatives for how God could've gotten you from point A to point B…without all the extra stuff? 

I know I’ve been there! 

In fact…I’m there now…😂

…but lately I’ve been asking God to give me wisdom for handling the “in between.” 

…and in true God-fashion…he's got a scripture for that! 

Matthew and Mark both give accounts of this story about Jesus calming a storm. The quick version is this:

Jesus goes on tour teaching, healing, and blessing people. One night he tells the disciples “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” They get in a boat and head towards the other side. Jesus goes to sleep…a storm comes…the disciples get scared. They wake up Jesus. Jesus calms the storm. He turns to the disciples and says, “Why y’all tripping?” His disciples turn to each other in complete awe of what just happened and say “Who even is this man?”  They get to the other side…and "The Jesus Tour" continues. 

Here the disciples are “in between” destinations. They aren’t where they were…but they're not on the "other side" yet. They’re in a “boat phase.” 

…and perhaps you’re in your own “boat phase,” too. From this story we see that the boat phase offers us:

1. An invitation to rest (Mark 4:38)
2. An opportunity to examine our faith (Mark 4:40)
3. A new revelation of who God is (Mark 4:41)

Lesson 1: The boat phase offers us an invitation to rest.

Every destination has its own responsibility. On one side of the lake, Jesus was healing and blessing. On the other side of the lake, JESUS was healing and blessing. In between destinations, JESUS WAS GETTING SOME REST!! He was replenishing himself and preparing for the next leg of His tour. 

"In between" time can feel like suuuuuuch a drag for people who like to move FAST! See...I'm the type of person who can know how to get to a place, but still ask Siri for directions just so I can get the fastest route...and then try to beat that arrival time. 

Sometimes, though, God is like..."Nah. We're gonna take the boat route...the patient route." 

...and, truthfully, most times I don't want to hear that, especially on my way to something that I know is REALLY good!

...but that "in between" time, if you change your perspective, is actually an invitation to rest. It's an invitation, not to exert energy and resources but, instead, stock up on energy and resources for the next responsibility. Those spiritual resources may include patience (Yes...again, patience!), knowledge, wisdom, and even a revelation of who God is. You’re gonna need allllll of that at your next destination. 

I'd hate for us to come up on a future challenge at our next location and not have the "rest" to handle it...all because we didn't take a nap on the boat.

God knows what we're gonna need down the line and He's giving us a "boat phase" to store up while we can.

Side note: If Jesus is on yo boat…and he sleep...why you up?!?! 

Lesson 2: The boat phase offers us an opportunity to examine our faith.

After Jesus calms the storm, he asks a potent, self-reflective question. 

“Why are you afraid?”

Personally, I feel like I want to ask the disciples that question too…like bruhhhh….JESUS IS ON YO BOAT?!?! Why you tripping?!

…but isn’t that what we still do 2,000 years later?

As much as I'm #TeamJesus…let me be in a boat that’s filling up with water and He’s sleeping...

...and I can’t swim?!?! 

My DEFAULT will be fear….I mean, automatic hysteria!!!

…but as followers of Christ, as believers, as Kingdom citizens…our new default HAS to be faith! 

In fact the Bible says the just shall LIVE by faith. 

That means that at every point in my life I gotta have a certain level of faith just to get through it….just to wake up in the morning….just to breathe….just to LIVE!

Even Paul picks it up in 2 Corinthians 13:5 and says “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.”

...and God used that boat phase to give the disciples some space to really examine the basis of their faith.

See, not only did the disciples need faith to make it to the other side, they needed faith once they got there...and then beyond. They needed faith to cast out demons, they needed faith to heal folks....they needed faith on the day of pentecost! 

They had a lot more living to do beyond this boat.....living that required strong faith! 

So, if we’re gonna live through this boat phase AND AFTER this boat phase….we gotta build strong faith! 

Where is your faith? 

Where have you built your hope?

Lesson 3: The boat phase offers us a new revelation about who God is.

After Jesus calms the storm, the disciples' first question is: WHO IS THIS?

Up until this point (at least how the scriptures are laid out) the disciples have pretty much seen Jesus as a teacher and a healer. He’d just given the sermon on the mound…He’d healed a bunch of people...He'd helped some of the disciples catch some fish. To that end, Jesus had revealed himself as a pretty snazzy individual…but, truth be told, the half hadn't even been told.

They’d never seen Him like THIS! 

During the boat phase…and really in every storm…God is giving us an opportunity to learn something new about Him. He’s painting a new revelation of just how powerful and downright GOOD He really is.

Think about all the great things God has done for you. 

Would you believe me if I told you, it gets better?

Would you believe me if I told you it gets better because your perspective of who HE is gets better?

Like....a lot better! 

You might’ve experienced him as a healer.

You might’ve experienced him as a teacher.

You might've experienced his great fishing ability. (Peter!!)

…but JUST before you get to the other side…

...right now in the boat phase...

...God says...

YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE HIM MOVE DIFFERENTLY!

That just got me so excited! 

I’ve seen God do some pretty miraculous things…but how sweet it is to know that...

I AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YET!!! 

Sooooo…bottom line is this:

The time between here and there can be aggravating…frustrating…and even seen as a barrier to try and fight…but truth be told it’s all actually a gift. 

So, here’s to enjoying & stewarding our in between…our boat phase…our GIFT…WELL!