But when [Jesus' closest disciples] saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
In the middle of our storms and terrors, Jesus passes close by us to check on us. He is waiting for us to acknowledge our fear and need for him so that we will ask him to join us in our worst nightmares and help us through our troubles. Jesus' words here are literally, "Take courage! I Am." God revealed himself to Moses in Exodus 3 as "I Am," the God who always was and will be and is right now. God used this name, "I Am," to remind Moses that he heard the cry of the Israelites, had seen their hardship, and was now coming down to help them. Jesus does the same for us" "Take courage!" he tells us, "I Am. Don't be afraid!"
My Prayer...
Thank you, O God, for being present and close by — always waiting to respond to my cry of distress and fear. Forgive me for not inviting you, the Lord, the great "I Am," into a more active daily role in my life. I know you are near, so I ask that you not only make your presence known but gently confront me when I push you to the periphery of my daily life. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Comments
Archived Facebook Comments
Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Friday, August 5, 1955
"Dear Father, Keep us from believing any teaching different from that which your genuine apostles taught about our Lord Jesus Christ. Let what they..."
""Teacher," said an expert in religious law [after Jesus' accusations against the Pharisees], "you have insulted us, too, in what you just said."
....."
"By this faith you are saved [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose], if you hold firmly to the word which...."
"After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, where they....."
Illustration
About This Devotional
Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.
![Illustration of Mark 6:49-50 — But when [Jesus' closest disciples] saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."](https://img.heartlight.org/overlazy/creations/6623.jpg "Illustration of Mark 6:49-50 — But when [Jesus' closest disciples] saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, \"Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.\"")
Comments
Archived Facebook Comments