Take Courage

“Take courage, it is I. Do not be afraid.” 

Matthew 14:27

When I was young, my father had a fishing boat berthed in Batangas. He had always wanted a boat and he had marine plywood ready to make one when I was a baby, only for the plywood to be used for my crib. 

One day, I think it was somebody’s birthday, he took our family out to sea. Unfortunately although the day started out fine, when we were so far away from shore that we could see big ships near where we were, the wind became so strong. The wild waves tossed our boat perhaps just like the waves frightened the disciples most of whom were experienced fishermen. I thought we were going to die! I started to panic and pray. But I looked at my father and he was so calm as if there was nothing to worry about. He was even excited! He was always in his element when he was out at sea. Daddy claimed he felt closest to God in the middle of the water. 

After this, I felt better, my queasy stomach settled, and my panic dissipated. When we are in the midst of any terrifying storm, if we look at the circumstances, we can panic and feel afraid. But if we look at Jesus knowing He can calm any storm, we will be at peace, the "peace beyond understanding".

Right now, we are in the midst of a storm. We can even say we are in a prolonged war against an unseen enemy. We can get engulfed in a sea of hopelessness and despair if we focus on what is happening around us. I know of so many who have gotten sick, so many who have even died. The war is being waged on so many fronts.

But we must not allow this pandemic, this war to turn us away from God. If we look to Jesus, we will see the blessing in the storm and know that God is doing a new thing in the lives of His people. We can trust Him with our very lives.