When the storm comes

As I’m thinking about this blog, I’m struck by the awful news from Maui. One headline on the BBC says “The number of people killed in the Hawaii wildfires has risen to 53, with 1,000 people missing on the island of Maui.” People were jumping into the sea and forced to stay there for hours, horrific events to be part of. Unfortunately, the death toll will rise and thousands will be homeless with everything lost. In the face of a wild fire fanned by fierce storm force winds, the islanders were helpless. If it’s terrifying to see the reports from the safety of my living room, what could it possibly have been like for those caught up in it?
 
There’s an incident in Matthew’s Gospel when the disciples are in a boat and caught in a storm. Jesus has put them into the boat so he can get some time to pray and process the recent events. His cousin John has been beheaded by Herod, and he’s spent a day preaching and feeding 5,000 people, when all he wanted was to be on his own with his Father.
 
“After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”” Here Jesus is saying that he is the “I am”, the name God uses for himself in the Old Testament.
 
Peter decides he’s not staying in the boat. He’s going to walk to Jesus where it’s safe; he knows that the safest place to be is with Jesus. Well, once he takes his eyes off Jesus he starts to sink and cries out for help. ““Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”” And when they climb into the boat the storm abates and the disciples say “Truly you are the Son of God.“
 
In this short chapter we see Jesus the grieving man, the miracle worker, saviour and God! And Peter trusted Jesus to rescue him from the storm. If you are going through a storm in your life at the moment, there is no one better to call out to for help. Just as Jesus came to the disciples in the boat, so he will come close to you. Jesus says to you too “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
 
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7)

Photo by Barth Bailey on Unsplash