“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

September 10, 2023 — Laura House

When I was twelve, a tornado ripped through the area where we lived; a farm in Indiana. I’ll never forget it. My best friend, Jeana, and I, were alone at my house, playing duets on the piano when the lights flickered and an eerie silence drifted through the doorway. As we looked outside, we saw a black wall moving across the distant field accompanied by a roaring sound, and we bolted down the basement stairs so fast that I have no memory of actually getting down there. We emerged later to discover that the brand new construction across the field had been hit, littering our lawn with debris; siding, insulation, shingles, and splintered bits of wood. The dream home of someone evaporated in mere moments. Ever since then, I’ve never been a fan of tornadoes. They just seem too unpredictable to me. They are out of my control.

For several years, we lived in Wilmore, Kentucky, and the wonderful memories from there are still vivid. Only once was there a tornado incident, and I remember it with a smile. No one was hurt. No homes were destroyed. But, our family made a memory. It was the middle of the night when we were awakened by the howling winds and we recognized the sound from our years in Indiana. Immediately, we jumped into emergency mode, shouting for the kids to wake up and get to the basement to take shelter from the tornado. Only when we got down there with them did we realize that Nathan wasn’t there. Running back up to look for him, we found him still deep asleep. For the rest of his days, we all enjoyed teasing him about the time he “slept through a tornado.”

Storms can be frightening, for sure. I’ve been reading through the Book of Matthew lately, and have found some interesting observations about one storm that I’ve not thought about before. And as I considered these insights, I found that they apply to my life, to others who are bereaved, and to those who struggle with fear. Will you take a look with me? 

First, I’ll set the stage. Matthew 14 records the miracle of Jesus’ feeding the five thousand, right before the storm incident. The gospels of Mark and John also record these events.

It happened like this. After the meal, Jesus dismissed the crowd, sent his disciples ahead on the boat, and He “went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.” (14:23-24) 

It was the “fourth watch of the night”, which was between 3AM-6AM, when Jesus walked on the water toward the boat. Although we know the time frame, we don’t know how many hours the storm had been severe, but we can assume that the disciples were exhausted and afraid. Matthew records that when they saw someone coming toward them on the water, they were terrified and cried out in fear. Then Jesus spoke for the first time in this story and the words are powerful! “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 

Lesson #1: 

When we are facing a storm, which happens a lot during our earthly lives, we need to remember the words of Jesus. “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” I’m thinking of making a plaque for my wall to remind myself of this daily. 

Lesson #2:

Peter responded to Jesus’ words with a bold request in Matthew 14:28. “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” We all know what happened next. Jesus said, “Come,” and Peter stepped out of the boat and miraculously started walking on the water. What’s the lesson? There are several, but the most obvious is that we need to trust Jesus. 

After I received the news that Nathan was gone, I cried out, “Jesus help me trust You!” and that has been my constant prayer ever since. Sometimes it’s hard to trust, isn’t it? When I was deep in mourning and desperately trying to trust, I clung to the testimony of others who had experienced the faithfulness of God through suffering. If you are in the middle of a violent storm today and having difficulty trusting, perhaps my own testimony will be an encouragement. I have experienced Him holding me. He loves you, cares about your pain, and will hold you through this storm. He will never leave you.

Lesson #3:

I’ve heard many sermons about what happened next. Peter got scared of the storm, took his eyes off of Jesus, and started to sink. Matthew 14:29-30 says, “Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 

Most likely, you’ve heard sermons about Peter’s failure at this point, about how his faith faltered. He took his eyes off of Jesus, focused on the storm, and started to sink. One of the lessons here is obvious—keep your eyes on Jesus, not on your storm! But I feel like maybe Peter gets a bad rap in some of those sermons sometimes. There is something else here that is powerful. I still see great faith.

Where did Peter turn when he doubted, looked down, and became terrified? He knew right where to turn! He knew who could save him. He immediately cried to Jesus, “Lord, save me!” His faith was in the One that he knew could save him. Though his circumstances were dire because he began to doubt, His faith in Jesus remained strong.

When you and I are battered by the storms of life, we know what to do! “Lord, save me!”...and He will.  

“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”