A Miracle in the Storm
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“When evening came, His disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. But He said to them, ‘It is I; don’t be afraid.’ Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.” John 6:16-21 (NIV)
This miracle comes on the heels of feeding over five thousand people on the hillside. The crowds were understandably impressed with both Jesus’ teaching, miracles, and provision! John tells us in verse 15 that Jesus had to slip away into the hills by Himself to get away from the crowd as they were ready to force Him to be their King. But that wasn’t why Jesus came and He knew that their motives were not pure. They wanted an earthly king who would deliver them from the oppression of Rome and satisfy their every physical need. Later in this chapter, Jesus says to the fickle crowd, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with Me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you.” John 6:26-27 (NLT)
As Jesus slipped away into the hills, the disciples went down to the shore to wait for Him. Since it was getting dark and Jesus had not returned, they got into the boat and headed across the lake. It wasn’t long before they found themselves in the midst of a fierce storm on the lake. In the midst of this storm, John tells us that Jesus came walking to them on the water! Imagine being in the boat with those disciples. You would have been as terrified as they were! But Jesus calls out to them, “Don’t be afraid, I am here!” In the language of the New Testament, Jesus uses the very name of God. He says, “Don’t be afraid, The I AM is here!” Wow! When they let Him in the boat, the Bible says they immediately arrived at their destination! That was a bonus miracle!
Are you going through a storm in your life? It’s easy to think that storms only come when we are out of the will of God, like Jonah. But these disciples were doing what Jesus told them to do and yet they found themselves in the midst of a storm, alone and afraid. If you’re going through a storm in your life, take comfort in knowing that your Savior will come to you and bring you to your destination. The great I AM is with you!