During the Fourth Watch of the Night

It's interesting to me how I can be so tired that I can hardly wait until bedtime and then find myself fully awake at 3 A.M. I don't want to be awake at 3 A.M. Not just because I'm not finished sleeping but because usually if I wake at 3 A.M. it's because my subconscious has brought to the surface the stuff I didn't want to think about during the day.

So this morning at 3 A.M. when I woke up with the feeling of being drowned by the things I couldn't control I was reminded of something I read. When Jesus had fed the five thousand he made his disciples get into a boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. "And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them walking on the sea." (Mark 6:48) The fourth watch of the night is between 3 A.M. and 6 A.M.

In the darkness that accompanies the fourth watch of the night I often feel like I am fighting a losing battle. I winds of life are blowing me off course, I can't see where I'm going nor do I have control over the boat I'm in. It was during the exhaustion of the fourth watch when the disciples saw Jesus walking to them on the water and they were terrified. Jesus spoke and said,"Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid." (Mark 6:50)

Two thoughts came to me during my own early morning hours. First, the disciples were utterly astounded when Jesus got into the boat and the wind ceased. He was able to both walk on the waves of the storm and make the storm cease. My other thought was that their plan was to go to Bethsaida but the wind blew them off course but not off his course, "When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore."(Mark 6:53)

Lord Jesus when I am struggling with the storms in my life during the fourth watch of the night help me to remember that I have a Savior that is able to not only calm the storm but walk on the waves in the storm. Thank You also for using the storms to put me at the destination of Your choosing.