Do Not Be Afraid

“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Matthew 14:27

When my son Josh was about 10 months old, he was so brave, he wanted to start walking. I was too scared to let him walk on his own, but my sister Peggy, would allow him to teeter on his own two little feet while holding one arm out to catch him, and one hand in front of him with a bauble he wanted to get a hold of. I watched in anticipation and trepidation as Josh put out one tiny foot after another, wobbling, but with a big big smile on his face at this new adventure of walking. After that, he would eagerly run-walk across a room while his babysitter would be ready to catch him should he fall.

The disciples had many exciting adventures with Jesus. In the 14th chapter of Matthew, we read about when they were on a storm tossed boat at night, the wind and the waves lashing at them. The disciples saw a man walking on the strong waves and became terrified because they thought it was a ghost. Imagine how Jesus would have appeared to them, with the storm wreaking a havoc of his garments flying in the wind. His voice rose above the howling of the wind, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water,” and Jesus answered, “Come.”

Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus, but when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Many times, we are caught in a situation like this. We feel we are sinking, drowning even. We call out to the Lord, “Save us!” My prayers during this pandemic are populated with the words, “ Lord Jesus, have mercy on us!” Have mercy on this or that person intubated in the hospital, have mercy on this or that doctor or nurse who has not been able to rest or see his or her family for weeks at a time, have mercy on people in squatter areas with no means of livelihood, jeepney drivers and street vendors who cannot make a living at this time. So many people in need of someone to put a hand out and save them. 

Although these are times that try men’s souls, these are also times when we can grow our faith. Like my son, we need to trust in those “saving arms” that watch out for us while we teeter and wobble. There is a God who is watching, He will catch us, He will save us. He will not allow us to drown. On the contrary, He wants us to look forward to new adventures with Him, as we trust in Him and learn of Him and His ways.