The Year of our Lord, Jesus Christ
Matthew 14:27
But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
The disciples were in the middle of the sea being tossed about by a huge storm. They were in the perfect will of the Lord in that He constrained them to get into the ship and sail to the other side. Sometime between 3 and 6 am they saw a body walking on the water toward them. Walking on the water!
No doubt they were afraid. Was this a ghost, a phantasm, a sea monster? The Lord knowing their fear said Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. In the midst of the storm at sea, our Lord expected them to not be afraid. In fact, He wanted more for them. Not only did the Lord not want them to be afraid, but He also desired that they would be of good cheer.
In every storm of life the Lord is with or will be with His people. He would say, if on earth today, to those fearful of the storm Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. As He was with the three Hebrew men who were thrown into the burning fiery furnace, He will be with you. As He was the one who shut the lion’s mouth in Daniel’s night in the lion’s den, He will be with you. As He was with Paul when the viper bit him, but he suffered no harm, He will be with you. As He was with John as he was banished to the Island of Patmos, giving him the Revelation, He will be with you.
If you are a child of God, born into the family through the new birth, having believed the Gospel of Christ unto salvation He says to you through the example of today’s verse. Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
Until next time,
William T. Howe, Ph.D.
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