"Do Not Be Afraid" (John 6:15-21)

Today's scripture: John 6:15-21

"It is I; do not be afraid."

The scene is familiar to many of us. Jesus has gone off by Himself, which He often did. The disciples go out to sea. And then a "strong wind" hits. The boat is tossed, and the disciples are thrown about.

As one might expect, the disciples are frightened.

Then, a figure appears on the water. It's Jesus ... walking on the water!

He draws near and says, "It is I; do not be afraid."

They invite Him into the boat, and suddenly, they're at their destination.

So often, we're in a rickety boat on a wind-blown sea. We're flung from side to side, and we can barely get a grip on a rope or mast. We fear we'll be thrown over the edge.

Then a quiet voice: "It is I; do not be afraid."

We're never alone in the storm. We're never really at risk to topple into the roiling waves. And even if we do fall, He'll lift us up. As God spoke through the prophet Isaiah, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you ..." (43:2)

Finally, while sometimes Jesus doesn't immediately calm the wind and take us to our destination, we can be confident that He's with us. He will never leave us, never desert us (Hebrews 13:5). And because of this confidence, we don't need to fear any storm, any wind.

Are you in a storm today? Is the wind raging? Are the waves crashing? Look up. Look to Jesus, and hear Him say, "It is I; do not be afraid."