As we continue to celebrate
the Christmas season and Jesus' birth into our world, we find the disciples out
on the sea in a boat in today's Gospel reading, where they are battered by the
angry winds & waves. The disciples
look out at the sea - they see someone walking on the water, moving toward
them. We can imagine the fear that
seizes the disciples until they finally realize it is Jesus. Jesus is able to calm the winds and the
waves. In our own lives, we may think
that Jesus does not hear our pleas for help or see us in need when we are
battered about on our journey.
If you have ever been on
the ocean, a river, or lake on a boat when bad weather or an accident strikes,
it can be quite a terrifying situation.
As a missionary, I was once traveling in a canoe as we paddled down a large
river with some teenagers and small children.
The canoe was suddenly overturned.
Since there was a baby traveling with us, she was my main concern. We finally got out of the river, all drenched
and covered with mud. We made for quite
a funny sight for the other church members who were awaiting our arrival. But at the time when we were swimming back to
shore and trying to all make it back safely, it was anything but funny to
us.
In times like that, we can
be encouraged by knowing that God is all-powerful. Trusting God can be so difficult in times of
stress and adversity, especially when fear and uncertainty seem to be on the
rise in our society. As we enter a new
year, after last year provided so much uncertainly and instability throughout
the world, we should take heart in the faith we have in God, in the salvation
we have in him, in the agape, self-giving love that we receive from him and from our redeemer, Jesus Christ. May we
trust in God's faithful presence at all times in our lives.
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