Matthew 14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
This passage of scripture recounts for us the experience of Peter and the other disciples, who had been toiling for hours against relentless winds and rain on the open sea. What makes the experience so intriguing is that it occurred at night when no one else could help. They were on their way to the other side of the seashore at the command of Christ, when suddenly without warning, a violent storm broke upon them, and try as they might, they could not bring the ship to land. They had now given up in despair when they see what appears to be a ghost walking on the water, approaching them, as they thought, to put the final nail in their coffin.
However, what seemed to them as a harbinger of imminent danger, turned out to be Jesus Christ Himself, who saw their plight and came to their rescue. Let's read:
Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
In our day and in our own experiences as Christians, God often comes through for us in ways that may at first seem to be contrary to what we expect, and may even cause us, like the disciples to cry out in fear. Yet, if at the command of Christ we are found doing his bidding, then we can certainly trust our cases with Him, for He is always there to help, even when we forget to pray and ask for His intervention.
God calls us not to a desperate struggle with the waves and headwinds which seem to threaten or very existence and sanity, but rather to the refuge that is found only in Christ. When the floods of temptation sweep over our souls, when we are faced with financial difficulties and serious health issues, when we are assailed by foes within and without, let's remember that the same Jesus who calmed the troubled waters for the disciples, is there to bring quietness and assurance to our most turbulent and perplexing situations, whenever and however they occur.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reminds us that we have a never-failing refuge in Christ, and if we turn to Him in times of uncertainty He would then grant us the peace that passeth all understanding. Let's read:
Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.
May we continue to learn the valuable lesson of trusting in God, for faith in Him never goes unrewarded. God bless!