THE GREATEST DANGER
The greatest danger we all face is not being able to see Jesus in our troubles—instead, we see ghosts. In that peak moment of fear when the night is the blackest and the storm is the angriest, Jesus always draws near to us, to reveal Himself as the Lord of the flood, the Savior in the storms. “The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King forever” (Psalm 29:10).
In Matthew 14, Jesus ordered His disciples into a boat that was headed for a storm. The Bible says He constrained them to get into a ship. In other words, He insisted that they get into the ship even though it was headed for troubled waters; it would be tossed about like a bobbing cork. And where was Jesus? He was up in the mountains overlooking the sea, praying for them not to fail in the test He knew was coming.
Later He came to them, walking on the water (see Matthew 14:25). But not one disciple recognized Him! They did not expect to see Him out on the water in the middle of a storm. Never, ever did they expect Him to be with them or even near them in a tempest.
At least one disciple should have recognized what was happening and said, “Look, friends, Jesus said He would never leave us or forsake us. He sent us on this mission; we are in the center of His will. He said the steps of a righteous man are ordered by Him. Look again. That’s our Lord! His is right here! We’ve never once been out of His sight!”
There was only one lesson to be learned—only one. It was a simple lesson, not some deep, mystical, earth-shattering one. Jesus wanted to be trusted as their Lord, in every storm of life. He simply wanted them to maintain their cheer and confidence, even in the blackest hours of trial. Just one simple but very important lesson!
“I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).
In Matthew 14, Jesus ordered His disciples into a boat that was headed for a storm. The Bible says He constrained them to get into a ship. In other words, He insisted that they get into the ship even though it was headed for troubled waters; it would be tossed about like a bobbing cork. And where was Jesus? He was up in the mountains overlooking the sea, praying for them not to fail in the test He knew was coming.
Later He came to them, walking on the water (see Matthew 14:25). But not one disciple recognized Him! They did not expect to see Him out on the water in the middle of a storm. Never, ever did they expect Him to be with them or even near them in a tempest.
At least one disciple should have recognized what was happening and said, “Look, friends, Jesus said He would never leave us or forsake us. He sent us on this mission; we are in the center of His will. He said the steps of a righteous man are ordered by Him. Look again. That’s our Lord! His is right here! We’ve never once been out of His sight!”
There was only one lesson to be learned—only one. It was a simple lesson, not some deep, mystical, earth-shattering one. Jesus wanted to be trusted as their Lord, in every storm of life. He simply wanted them to maintain their cheer and confidence, even in the blackest hours of trial. Just one simple but very important lesson!
“I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).