Most of us know the old hymn, "Just as I am." It is a hymn of the faith which speaks to the fact that Jesus takes us just like we are. He doesn't want us to stay in that spot (whatever that spot is), but He meets us there and bids us to, "go and sin no more!"
What about this old saying (that no one says), "they took him with them in the boat, just as he was." This is an old saying because it was writing 2000 years ago. It is recorded in Mark 4:35. It struck me as I read it this morning, what a strange saying. Theologians will point to the urgency of the passage. They got in the boat and went just as they were. Although it strikes me that it only says that about Jesus. Maybe that is the right interpretation of the passage, maybe it is just a statement thrown in for effect...but maybe not.
When you read the whole story (Mark 4:35-41), you notice something. The story is about Jesus' disciples getting in the boat, the storm coming up quickly on the sea, and Jesus calming it. The last verse records their thoughts, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey Him?". The disciples were not 100% sure about this Jesus. Yes they were following Him. Yes they saw Him do some amazing Him. Yes they believed in Him as much as they could to this point. But this, this was different.
He didn't just have authority over demons and physical issues. He had authority over the wind and the sea. This was different. The others can be parlor tricks, yes they were awesome, but we all get a little skeptical when people say they heal (and yes I believe 100% that God can and still does heal in miraculous and supernatural ways...but unfortunately we can still have this doubting Thomas mindset). You can't fake this! You can't have a storm come up and just say "stop" and it stops. That is different, that is something more!
Now back to the "just as He was" verse. When Jesus got in the boat, they were accepting Him for all they knew He was. He was a great teacher! He was a miracle worker! He was compassionate and kind! He was loving and forgiving! He was the embodiment of all that the Scriptures say God is! But after this they knew more, they knew Jesus was more than anything they had seen or heard about. They knew that He was greater!
Often times we accept Jesus for who He is. We have the Scripture and it gives us His exact nature. We experience Him in our daily lives. We accept all that we know of Him. But then there are those times, those times that He blows us out of the water. Those times where we are so awe struck that we can't believe He just did that! Jesus calls us to accept all that we know about Him. Then He bids us to hold on, because He is going to continually amaze us, if we stay with Him on the journey.
You may not understand all of who Jesus is (you are in good company, because NO ONE does). But He says, "Take what you do know (even if you are a little skeptical) and just journey with me. I have things in store for your life that will amaze you. I have a path that will lead you to life! Come, follow Me!"
Just as I am! Following Jesus, just as He is!
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