Meat in the Middle

 

Picture this…

You’ve left the shore and you’re in a boat rowing across a massive lake to get to the other side, to cross over. You’re mid-way there, in the middle of this endless sea of water, when suddenly, without notice, a storm breaks.

The wind is whipping up with unbridled ferocity, and it’s causing the water to heave. Rowing has become pointless as the oars break under the pressure.

What do you do?

The noise of the now swirling wind and crashing waves is tremendous. You call out to Jesus, but you cannot even hear your own voice over the torrent that has now engulfed you.

Is Jesus hearing your call?

You heard His when He told you to cross over to the other side. It was Jesus who told you that He would meet you in Bethsaida.

Then Jesus told the followers to get into the boat. He told them to go to the other side of the lake to Bethsaida. He said he would come later. – Mark 6:45 (ERV).

You know His voice; you’ve heard Him many times before. Could you be wrong this time? Your every fibre tells you that you’re not wrong; so what’s really happening then?

You were going through the middle to get to the other side and everything seemed fine.

You were already half-way there when this storm came out of nowhere.

Know that it’s in the middle of the spiritual journey when the storms come. These storms are not without purpose.

Early on, in the beginning, safely on shore, you were at the infant stage of your spiritual growth, but now the time has come for you to cross over to the other side.

On shore, you heard the Word and became familiar with the basics of the Word of God – this is milk. But you can’t stay at this stage if you’re to grow; no-one remains a baby forever.

For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]! – Hebrews 5:13 (AMPC)

The time to be fed solid food must come. Solid food or meat speaks of deep teaching; you’ve done the hearing now it’s time to do the Word of God. It’s time for meat in the middle.

But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law. – Hebrews 5:14 (AMPC)

This spiritual meat builds you up, strengthens you, and develops you by experience.

This spiritual meat that you’re fed in the middle strengthens your character and builds your endurance in preparation for the next half of the journey.

In the middle, you may feel as if Jesus is ignoring your call but remember Jesus will never leave you. If you look carefully, you’ll catch a glimpse of Him through the haze, through the fog, just look beyond the raindrops; He is there waiting for you to come through. And as you regain your focus, even in the midst of the storm, you will see Him. You are not alone.

Do not give in to your fear of this storm you’ve never seen before. Push through it, do not give up and do not give in to your fear. Meditate on Jesus’ own words – “Do not be afraid! I Am!”

Yes, Jesus always “is”, so don’t be afraid. Jesus is always with you; even in the worst storm, He is.

Jesus will meet you on the other side. He may even meet you along the way for short periods to feed you the meat in the middle. Eat the meat. Sometimes the chewing is tedious and the meat hard to swallow but keep on eating.

Oftentimes we try to pound the meat in our own efforts to make it tender but to no avail. No amount of seasoning can make this meat palatable but do not spit it out; keep on eating the meat in the middle.

Beloved, before you know it, the storm would have passed, storms never last, and you’d be on the other side having safely crossed over.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Meat in the Middle” © 2016 revisited December 1, 2025