BE OF GOOD CHEER

Remember the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 as told in Mark 6?  While He sent the multitudes away, He had the disciples get into a ship and go to the other side of the lake, and then He went up into the mountain by Himself to pray.  Read the story for yourself starting with verse 45 through verse 51.  It's too long to quote here.

Notice that when the disciples got their ship in the middle of the sea, the wind sprang up and they had to really work to keep the boat from capsizing as it continued its journey through the rough waters.  Verse 48 tells us that Christ saw how hard His men were toiling in the rough waters and went to them walking on the water.  Little did those poor, frustrated disciples know that their Master had His eyes on them all the time, observing their sad plight and their heroic efforts in the midst of the storm.  The assumed He was off by Himself somewhere not paying the least bit of attention to them.

But right in the midst of the storm their Master came walking on the water to them.  What did Christ have to say to them in verse 50? Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.  And we know the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey used to say, how the wind ceased and the waters became calm.

Hebrews 13:8 assures us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Just as His eye was on His disciples toiling in the storm in the middle of the sea, so His eye is upon you and me today as we, too, are toiling in the midst of the storms and hard places of life.  And if we'll let Him, He'll come to us with the same message He gave His disciples:  Be of good cheer:  it is I; be not afraid.

What a marvelous and powerful God we serve.  How great are His mercies:  how tender His compassion.  The next time you're in the midst of a storm, stop your useless toil.  Quiet yourself in His presence as you let Him whisper ever so gently, Be of good cheer:  it is I; be not afraid.

Preacher's Kid