But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought that it was a ghost, and they cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.”
Many share a fear of the unknown. Children are afraid of the dark; teens typically fear what others think of them; and adults fear not knowing what lies ahead in their lives, careers, and finances. It can be hard to look forward with courage instead of uncertainty. The disciples experienced a similar fear of the unknown in today’s passage.
Even though it was Jesus walking by the boat, the disciples were overwhelmed with fear. They did not know for sure who it was, what was happening, or what was going to happen next. Jesus did not condemn the disciples for their fear; instead, He graciously invited them to take courage because of His presence. Many of the unknown factors had not changed—they still did not know why Jesus was walking on water or how He could do such a thing—but Jesus’s invitation reminds us we can have courage in the face of uncertainty because of Him.
On this side of heaven, there will always be unknowns, but if we are in Christ, we can take courage even in what we do not understand because of His presence with us. He invites us to not carry the burdens of fear and anxiety because He is in control. He invites us to take courage because He will direct our paths and lead us to abundant life with Him.
In John 10:9-10 Jesus said, “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.” With Jesus, we have safety, rest, peace, and abundant life. Because He lives and is with us, we can relax even in the face of the unknowns and fears. We are safe in His presence.
- What are some unknowns of life that scare you?
- Has Jesus’s presence with you changed the way you handle the unknowns of life? Why or why not?
- Pray and be honest with God about the unknowns of life that scare you. Ask Him for the courage to face them with His help.
