30 for 30
Day Fourteen
Stop
Psalm 16:7 says ‘I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.’
Take some time now to praise the Lord. Quieten your thoughts, put aside any distractions and worship Jesus.
Look
Read Matthew 14. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. You may want to make notes, underline in your bible or journal all that God is saying.
Thought of the day
Matthew 14:26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
This story of Jesus walking on the water in Matthew 14 is one of the most famous and iconic scenes in the new testament. Jesus sent His disciples to the other side of the sea of Galilee while he stayed behind to pray.
Shortly after the disciples enter a storm. They’re struggling against the rage of the ocean, beaten by waves, battered by the wind. Jesus comes to them, walking on the sea.
Their fear is only intensified as they cry out ‘It’s a ghost!’
The disciples are feeling overwhelmed and terrified, under attack from the physical realm (weather), as well as the spiritual (the ghost).
These hardened fishermen have never faced a storm like this and were utterly petrified.
I think many people in our world today can relate to this feeling. Many people feel anxious, afraid, overwhelmed, hopeless, exhausted, at the mercy of the uncontrollable.
Our answer in this season is the same as ever: Jesus.
On the sea of Galilee – Jesus was the answer. In the midst of a pandemic – Jesus is the answer. He is always the answer. He’s the answer to people’s fear, he’s the answer to people’s hopelessness. He’s the answer when we feel out of control, he’s the answer when we feel alone.
Here’s some good news if you’re feeling like those disciples.
- Jesus is present with you – even if you don’t recognise him.
- Jesus is sovereign over all things. He walks on the same waves that crash over the boat. He stands above the pandemic and over our circumstances.
- Jesus rules and reigns, God in flesh. In the original Greek, the words of Jesus ‘It is I’, are the same words used in the Greek translation of the old testament when Moses asks God what his name is, and He says ‘I am’. Here Jesus stands in their most fearful situation and proclaims: ‘I am the I am.’
- He commands us not to be afraid. Jesus isn’t afraid and we don’t have to be.
- He calls us out to walk on the water. Peter, a broken human, was invited by the God of the Universe to walk on the same waves that battered the boat. Peter, eyes on Jesus, literally stood above what was threatening His life.
- The wind quieted when Jesus was in the boat. This storm too will pass.
Pray
Today, we are going to bring before God some of the things we’re anxious about and fearful of. In a quiet moment, make a list, or talk to God about what is on your heart – if anything is causing you anxiety.
Bring it before Him and give it to Him.
Cast your cares upon God, because He cares for you.
Live
Hope is contagious. So is worry. Choose today to be a herald of hope. Ask the Lord to give you a word of knowledge of people who may be struggling with anxiety and worry. Get in touch with them and bring some hope.
