That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.
Mark 4:35-36 NIV
There is a phrase in Mark 4 that is easy to overlook. Yet once it catches your attention, you cannot set it aside. Indeed, taking Jesus along in life is not something that simply happens on its own. It is a conscious, deliberate act.
Jesus had been teaching all day. That evening, He brought it to a close and told His disciples, “Let us go to the other side.” This moment matters. There is a time for every season, and even seasons of ministry have their end. God can use you to speak, to serve, and to build. Yet when He announces it is time to move, His word carries authority. Diligence within the time given is not optional.
What Taking Jesus Along in Life Actually Looks Like
Four words appear consistently across several translations of this passage: “they took him along.” The disciples were experienced fishermen. The boat was theirs. They could have set out without Jesus. Instead, they chose to bring Him. Notably, this detail is not decorative — it is the hinge on which the entire story turns.
Jesus calls to all who will listen, then and now. He extends the invitation to salvation and to relationship. However, whether we actually take Him along in life rests entirely with us. His call is universal, but our response is personal. Furthermore, no one can make that choice on your behalf. Leaving Jesus behind is also a decision, even when it is an unspoken one.
No one sets out on a sea crossing knowing every wave ahead. The disciples had no idea what awaited them that evening. Similarly, we have no clear view of what tomorrow holds. This is precisely why taking Jesus along in life is not merely comforting — it is essential. He knows the end from the beginning. He can guide you through what you cannot yet see.
The Bible also notes that other boats accompanied Jesus that night. No single vessel could carry everyone. Therefore, other boats set out alongside Him rather than leave Him behind. The underlying logic is worth sitting with: no reason was good enough to make that crossing without Jesus. That same logic applies today.
Present, Not Intrusive — but Only by Invitation
Notice, however, what happened once they set out. Jesus was in the boat, but He was sleeping. He was not directing or announcing Himself. His presence was real, yet it was not intrusive. His sleep was not indifference. He was fully aware — ears open, heart open — even with His eyes closed. In this way, He is much like the Holy Spirit: present, quiet, and ready to respond. Yet He moves only by invitation.
The disciples woke Him during the storm, and He calmed the sea. What followed is perhaps the most revealing moment in the passage. They turned to one another and asked, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” They had taken Jesus along without fully knowing who He was. Therefore, it is not sufficient to simply take Jesus along in life. We must also grow in our knowledge of Him.
Living It Out
The boat is already boarding. Jesus calls you to go to the other side. The question is not whether He is available — He is. Take Him along deliberately, and keep pursuing a deeper knowledge of who He truly is.