40 Days of Praise - Day 30

Day 30

But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
Matthew 14:27

You are doing God‘s will with all your heart. You’re serving faithfully at your church or in your ministry. You’re loving on your family and taking care of them. You’re in God‘s word. You’re praying, interceding for others, believing God to do what only God can do. You’re sharing your faith as you have opportunity. And you’re walking with God. You have moments of sin, but you confess them to God quickly and return to walking with God. Most days your fellowship with Him is sweet.

But then, without warning, things start going wrong. Struggles at the ministry. You’re having a hard time sleeping. Your devotions are getting interrupted. But you’re no wimp. Difficulties will come, but you press on. You dig in. You don’t roll over, you don’t give up.

But the storm gets worse and you’re losing ground. You can see it around you and you can feel it in your heart. You’re starting to get discouraged, starting to wonder how long you can keep this up. You’re praying, you’re trusting God is best you can, you’re speaking His word into your heart and mind. But still the storm gets worse.

That’s where the disciples are when Jesus speaks the words of today’s verse to them. They had just returned from an incredible ministry tour. When they got back, they helped Jesus miraculously feed 5000 men plus women and children. When that was over, Jesus put them into a boat and told them to row to the other side of the lake and he would meet them there.

That’s what they were doing -- rowing. But a wind storm came down off the mountains, and suddenly the water got rough and the waves were being thrown in their faces. They were putting all their effort into rowing, but it was getting them nowhere. The sun was setting when they left but now it was 3 o’clock in the morning and they were still rowing.

As they were hitting the point of desperation, they saw something moving on the water toward them. What they saw made no sense. They saw someone coming toward them on the water -- not in a boat, but walking on the water. The only thing they could think of that could do that was a ghost. That’s when they lost it.

But that was also when Jesus spoke to them. Take courage! It is I. fear not. The middle sentence is the one on which the other two hang; it is I. Literally, what Jesus said was, “I am.“ That can mean "It is I" or something like "I am here." But this is Jesus. Yes, He was telling them that it was Him, but He was also demonstrating that He was Lord of creation.

The Lord of all, the one who commands the winds and the waves, the one who heals the sick and casts out demons and raises the dead, He is the one who comes to our aid. In our darkest nights, in our most desperate of situations, He is with us. His presence strengthens our hearts and takes away the power of fear. We will not be overcome.

Because, I AM is with us.

Charles M. Butler