12-30-2023

Good Morning All,

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

     Have you ever been afraid?  I have never been seriously afraid.  I have had some minor disturbances that really are more embarrassing than anything else.  I remember once as a junior in high school I was home alone.  I was reading the book “Helter Skelter” which was about the Manson murders.  I was reading the section about how the “family” used to phone homes to see if someone was home; if they were not home, they would break into the house to practice for the coming murders.  Just as I read that part, the phone rang.  I threw the book up and it hit the ceiling; it took quite a while for my heart to slow down.  I put the book away for the night.  For a few seconds, I was very afraid.

    This type of fear is common and nothing to get too excited about.  It is self-induced and easily avoided.  Yet sometimes we are truly afraid, and it seems to occur to us much like it occurred to the disciples in our verse.  This verse is from Matthew’s account of Jesus walking on the water and Peter trying to.  As the disciples were struggling to row across the sea “the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.”  That phrase can be used to describe many times in our lives.  Life can seem to be far from land, far from options.  Life can seem to always be a struggle like the wind being against us and then just for good measure something totally unexpected beats us from the side.

   Maybe you are dealing with health issues of a spouse or a parent and suddenly you are making decisions that you weren’t planning on making.  Maybe you’re the farmer who saw $7.00 corn go to $2.75 and not a lot of rain to help.  Maybe you watch the news and wonder when they will decide to send troops back to Iraq.  Maybe it is your own health that you wonder about or whether your job will last until you retire.  There is much in this life that can make it seem like we are a long way from land, beaten by the waves with the wind against us.

    It is at these most difficult of times it is most crucial to remember Jesus’ words to the disciples; the same words he speaks to you and me “take heart, it is I, don’t be afraid!”  We may not always see a clear path, or we may not necessarily like the path, but we need to remember that no matter how big the waves or stiff the wind; Jesus is always with us.  He never has and never will abandon us or leave us to face the wind and the waves on our own.  We need to have faith; we need to trust his grace to sustain us.  Jesus is always with us so don’t be afraid and if fear invades seek him, turn to him in prayer.  Use those around you that he has placed in your life to give you his comforting mercy.

Father of all hope and comfort, in you we have no need to fear.  No matter how great the waves, you are there for us to cling to.  You never let us down.  Lord, there are many who feel the wind and the waves and are in great fear.  Guide us to them that we may be the agents of your comfort and the deliverer of your mercy.  In the precious name of Jesus our risen Savior we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret