Immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
MATTHEW 14:27
SUPPOSE ONE OF JESUS’ DISCIPLES kept a journal. And suppose that disciple made an entry in the journal on the morning after the storm. And suppose we discovered that journal. Here is how it would read . . . I suppose.
Only minutes before, chaos had erupted.
Oh, how the storm roared. Stars were hidden by a black ceiling. Clouds billowed like smoke. Bolts of lightning were the conductor’s baton that cued the kettledrums of thunder to rumble.
And rumble they did. The clouds seemed to rise as a bear on hind legs and growl. The booms shook everything: the heavens, the earth, and—most of all—the sea. It was as if the Sea of Galilee were a bowl in the hands of a dancing giant. From the bowels of the lake the waves came, turning the glassy surface into a mountain range of snow-topped waves. Five, ten, even fifteen feet into the air they mounted, rising and falling like swallows chasing mosquitoes.
In the midst of the sea, our boat bounced. The waves slapped it as easily as children would a ball. Our straining at the oars scarcely budged it. We were at the storm’s mercy. The waves lifted us up so high that we felt like we were in midair. Then down into the valley we plunged.
We were a twig in a whirlpool . . . a leaf in the wind. We were helpless.
That’s when the light appeared. At first I thought it was a reflection of the moon, a gleam on the surface of the water. But the night held no moon. I looked again. The light was moving toward us, not over the waves but through them. I wasn’t the only one who saw it.
“A ghost,” someone screamed. Fear of the sea was eclipsed by a new terror. Thoughts raced as the specter drew near. Was it a figment of our imagination? Was it a vision? Who? How? What was this mystical light that appeared so . . . ?
A flash of lightning illuminated the sky. For a second I could see its face . . . his face. A second was all I needed.
It was the Master!
He spoke: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (Matthew 14:27 NIV).
Nothing had changed. The storm still raged. The wind still shrieked. The boat still pitched. The thunder still boomed. The rain still slapped. But in the midst of the tumult, I could hear his voice. Although he was still far away, it was like he was by my side. The night was ferocious, yet he spoke as though the sea were placid and the sky silent.
And, somehow, courage came.
“Lord, if it’s you . . . tell me to come to you on the water” (v. 28 NIV).
The voice was Peter’s. He wasn’t being cocky. He wasn’t demanding proof. He was scared. Like me, he knew what this storm could do. He knew that the boat would soon go down. He knew that Jesus was standing up. And he knew where he wanted to be . . . where we all wanted to be.
1. Somewhere between fear and faith, we must find courage. Scripture tells us where to look for it.
• According to Deuteronomy 31:6, why can a child of God have courage?
• What does Joshua 1:9 say, and why?
• In Psalm 27:14, what is promised?
2. Peter was faced with what seemed impossible, yet he was willing to step over the side of the boat and go to the Lord’s side. Where does Proverbs 3:5 encourage us to place our trust? What is our other option?
3. The call to trust can be found throughout the Bible.
| ___ Psalm 31:14 | a. Our trust in God should be everlasting. |
| ___ Psalm 36:7 | b. God gives peace to those who trust him. |
| ___ Isaiah 26:3 | c. God knows those who trust in him. |
| ___ Isaiah 26:4 | d. We must trust in God, not in ourselves. |
| ___ Jeremiah 17:7 | e. I trust God because he is my God. |
| ___ Nahum 1:7 | f. Those who trust God are called blessed. |
| ___ 2 Corinthians 1:9 | g. We trust God in part because of his love. |
4. According to Psalm 9:10, what has the Lord never done?
“Come on,” Jesus invited.
So Peter climbed over the side and stepped onto the sea. Before him opened a trail through a forest of waves. He stepped quickly. Water splashed. But he kept going. This path to Jesus was a ribbon of calm. It was peaceful. Serene.
Jesus radiated light at the end of the trail. Smiling.
Peter stepped toward the light like it was his only hope. He was halfway there when we all heard the thunder. It boomed, and he stopped. I saw his head turn. He looked up at the sky. He looked up at the clouds. He felt the wind. And down he went.
Boy did he yell!
A hand came through the water sheets and grabbed Peter. Lightning flashed again, and I could see the face of Jesus. I noticed that his smile was gone. Hurt covered his face. It was like he couldn’t believe that we couldn’t believe. Danger to us was just a detour to him. I wanted to ask him, “Aren’t you afraid, Jesus? Aren’t you afraid?”
But I said nothing. Before I knew it, he was in the boat with us.
The sea stilled as silk.
The winds hushed.
A canyon opened in the clouds; soft moonlight fell over the water.
It happened instantaneously. It didn’t take the rest of the night. It didn’t take an hour. It didn’t take a minute. It happened in a blink.
From chaos to calm. From panic to peace. The sky was so suddenly silent that I could hear my heart pounding. I thought I was dreaming. Then I saw the wide eyes of the others and felt my clothing soaked against my skin. This was no dream. I looked at the water. I looked at Peter. I looked at the others. And then I looked at him.
And I did the only thing I could have done. With the stars as my candles and the stilled boat as my altar, I fell at his feet and worshiped.
Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
1 CORINTHIANS 16:13
5. What does Jesus invite his followers to do in John 14:1?
6. Later, in Matthew 21:21, what does Jesus tell his disciples about faith?
7. What did the disciples request of the Lord in Luke 17:5?
8. Faith isn’t characterized by unsteady seas and tossing waves. What does Paul say about our faith in Colossians 1:23?
There are times in a person’s life when, even in the midst of them, you know you’ll never be the same. Moments that forever serve as journey posts. This was one.
I had never seen Jesus as I saw him then. I had seen him as powerful. I had seen him as wise. I had witnessed his authority and marveled at his abilities. But what I witnessed last night, I know I’ll never forget.
I saw God. The God who can’t sit still when the storm is too strong. The God who lets me get frightened enough to need him and then comes close enough for me to see him.
The God who uses my storms as his path to come to me.
I saw God. It took a storm for me to see him. But I saw him. And I’ll never be the same. 
