“You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” – Matthew 8:26
In the book of Matthew, we read one of the great stories of our faith. Jesus and the disciples are in a boat on the Sea of Galilee when a storm suddenly appears. Jesus was resting, and it did not seem to bother him. The disciples, on the other hand, were starting to worry. (This story always caught my attention as the fishermen from Galilee were more nervous than the carpenter from Nazareth.) As their fear grew, the disciples went to Jesus and said, “Lord save us! We’re going to drown!” (Matthew 8:25)
Jesus asked the disciples, “…why are you so afraid?” The Bible does not record an answer from the disciples. I can only imagine fear had taken hold, and the disciples were speechless at this moment. Matthew records that Jesus “got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” (Matthew 8:26)
I doubt the disciples were looking for a lesson on faith when they approached Jesus. They were scared. They only wanted to be safe. However, Jesus, like a good parent who only wants the best for his children, took advantage of the moment and taught his followers. The biggest lesson in this moment is that the disciples did the right thing by going to the One who could save them. The scriptures teach us that God is with us. God is for us. In God’s presence, we have no need for fear.
We are going to face overwhelming situations in life. We do not have a reason to fear. There is no situation we encounter where God is not with us. We must decide to go to God. Never hesitate to say, “Lord, save us!” In God’s presence, we find peace and courage, even in the storm.
Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
