The fourth hour

Mt.14:25, ‘Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.’

 After feeding the crowd of five thousand with five loaves of bread and two wishes, Jesus constrained the disciples to get into the ship and go to the other side. Mt.14:22 and Mk. 6: 45 speaks about how Jesus constrained the disciples to go to the other side of the shore. When a person constraint or forces us for a certain thing, we understand that he or she surely has some definite purpose behind it. Similarly, our Lord at times forces us to go into certain ways or experiences, which we would otherwise never choose to go through it. But when the Lord constraints us into these ways, let us realize that He has a definite purpose behind it.

Both multitudes and the disciples were there with Jesus as they all ate together from the multiplied bread and fish. But Jesus did not force the multitude to get into the ship. The multitude were sent back to their own homes, while the disciples were forced to get into the boat. Multitudes come to Jesus to experience the miracles, not Jesus Himself. But the Lord pursues disciples into certain experiences, which enable us to experience the very presence of Jesus which transform us into more like Him.

 Mt. 14:24, ^‘But the boat was now ^[b]in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.’ After sending the disciples, the Lord went up to the mountain to pray. When He forces us into certain unpleasant experiences, He does not sit back and enjoy seeing us struggle. He intercedes for us. The waves and wind arose against the boat when they were in the middle of the sea. Had this happened in the early part of their journey, they might have returned to the shore. At times, Jesus allows certain storms to arise in such a time, when we seem to be far away from the either shores. We are neither able to go ahead not return back. We seem to be trapped.

 The boat was tossed by waves. In other words, they lost control over the boat. We never have any control over our lives, not even our breath. But somehow, we assume that everything or most of the things in life are in our control. But when waves hit our life boats and we seem to toss, we realise that our lives are not in our control. Ps.107:25-26, “For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea.²⁶ They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble. Wind was contrary. When Jesus constrains us to go certain ways with a set destination, often the things will be contrary for such grounds test our faith.

 Mk.6:48,”⁴⁸ Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.’  Jesus saw them straining at rowing. His eyes watch over our struggles, our tears and cry for help. His eyes are over the righteous and His ears are open unto their cry. When we are tested, our Lord carefully examines our response.

Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. The boat which had started its journey with the disciples before the evening time had not yet reached the shore. It was fourth hour…..a time when all hopes seem to fail. It’s a time when we are unable to understand what our next step would be. The 1^st hour i.e 6 pm to 9 pm, the 2^nd hour i.e 9 pm to 12 am, and the 3^rd hour i.e 12 am to 3 am, had passed away. The Lord could have come in the 3^rd hour or even in the 2^nd hour. But He waited till the 4^th hour i.e. 3 am to 6 am….the time just before the sun raises. The winds and waves might last all night but before the sunlight breaks forth, we will reach the destined shore.

Mk.6:49 & 50 say that when they saw Jesus walking on the sea, they were troubled. They never expected this. Walking on water was beyond their comprehension. Often the answer the Lord gives to the ones waiting upon Him is beyond their understanding.

 Mk.6: 51-52, ‘Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. ⁵² For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.’ The wind ceased as soon as the Lord went up into the boat. The disciples were greatly amazed to see the wind and waves calmed. The things that seem to stop our onward journey is under His feet.

⁵² For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened’. The disciples had seen the miracle of bread and fish being multiplied to feed the crowd of five thousand. Yet they could not respond to this miracle in the way the Lord wanted them to. Somewhere, their hearts were hardened. Human hearts might get hardened any moment if we do not take heed. A hardened heart looses its sensitivity towards God and cannot respond to God.  Hebr.3:12-15, ‘Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; ¹³ but ^[b]exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, ¹⁵ while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” All are born in sin. After being born again, though free from the bondage of sin, the fight against sin continues. And when sin creeps into us in any form, it starts hardening our heart if we do not repent and continue to do it. This starts making us insensitive to God and with time, one starts losing faith. Heart of unbelief is an evil heart for it makes us depart from the living God.  It’s important to keep examining our hearts time and again, keeping sin away from us, so that we fear His holiness and obey Him out of love for Him. In order to keep our hearts from hardening, our Lord, at times constraints us into certain unpleasant ways. Such ways enable us to experience Him in a closer way and in a more powerful way. Mt. 14:33, ‘ Then those who were in the boat ^[f]came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” The storms gave the disciples a deeper realization of His divinity. Each storm that is allowed in our lives gives us a deeper realization about who He is. The deeper is our revelation about Him, the more we worship Him, for which He created us.

Let our hopes continue to be on the Lord. He comes to us in the fourth hour. He watches us straining at rowing the boats of life. All that seem to block our ways are under His control. Let us never fear for He has given us the spirit not of fear, but of love, power and of sound mind. He is in complete control of our lives and the storms that seem to lash against our lives. He is opening our inner eyes to receive a deeper revelation about Him.

God bless us all.