Under dark skies with the wind blowing wildly, causing the waves to be hurricane-like in size and strength, they were all together in the boat. Their pulses raced with anxiety.
Fear was on the verge of overpowering and overwhelming them as they frantically tried steering the vessel through the madness and the fierceness of the raging sea. They would row in one direction only to have to row in the other direction as the unrelenting, powerful winds were swirling all about them.
The spray of the sea was stinging their eyes, and the waves were lapping up over the sides of the boat. The boat was taking on water, and the question of survival was racing through their minds. It was the storm of a lifetime, and they could not rely on any past experiences or self-ability to get them through it.
Jesus came to them in the darkest, most alarming hour of their storm, and he came in a surprising way—walking on top of the rough sea. As Jesus got close to the boat, the disciples were frightened. Jesus said to them, “‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going” (John 6:20-21 ESV).
The account of Jesus walking on the water in the Gospels reveal the actions of Jesus that will help us as we trust him during our storms of life (Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52, John 6:16-21).
- Jesus was not threatened or alarmed by the storm.
- Jesus was watching out for his followers even when they did not realize it.
- Jesus rose above the storm and became prominent in the midst of it.
- Jesus gave his followers comfort.
- Jesus brought his followers safely through the storm.
