Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.  And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.  Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”  But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.  So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” Matthew 8:23-27

This is an old and familiar story, but let’s try to put ourselves right in the middle of it.  Jesus had barely begun His ministry, and recently called the disciples.  The previous verses in Matthew 8 tell us of several people Jesus healed before He got on the boat.  Therefore, the disciples had seen a display of His power, and were probably full of questions.  But the day had been long, and they all needed to get away for a bit.  Jesus, being fully human, needed sleep; being fully God, He was not concerned about earthly storms.

But the disciples were afraid for their lives when the storm came up.  It must have been a terrible storm, for several of the disciples were used to being on the sea and surely had seen squalls and high waves before.  So they ran to Jesus, crying out for help.

What were they thinking?  Did they really have any idea of what Jesus could or would do?  I don't think so! When I am in a panic situation, my brain doesn't think ahead - I just want help, and I want it now!  I think the disciples were in that mindset and Jesus had already come to be a "presence" that they trusted to take care of them and whatever trouble came to them.  We have more perspective and knowledge than they did, and we also know that going to Jesus for help is the best thing to do, even if we don't know how He will help!

Isn't it also true that when we are hurting, rocked by terrible things, and unable to help ourselves - isn't it then when what we really want is someone to be with us, to remedy our aloneness?  When I am alone is when my mind goes off into tortuous paths of self-doubt, fear, worry, and a downward spiral.  Just calling on Jesus and knowing He is near pulls me out of that whirling cesspool.

Jesus probably asks me the same question each time I run to Him.  “Why are you fearful, oh you of little faith?”  And then He calms the storm.  David once said, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in you.” (Psalm 56:3) God knows we feel fear, but He also provides His presence and help in times of distress.  His Word is full of the promise of His presence with us. Oh, how I need Him, and how gloriously He has shown Himself with me!

Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. Psalm 41:10

Be With Us, Lord!

2 Thessalonians 3:16 The Lord be with you all.

I was praying for a friend, “Lord, be with them today.”  But as I said it aloud, I began to wonder why I was praying for God to be with someone, when it is a fact known to us as Christians that God is with us all the time.  I hear people say, after a close call of some type, “God sure was with me and watching out for me that time.”  And I think, isn’t He always with you?  So I go to the Word of God to dig deeper!

Numbers 14:43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you.

Amos 5:14 Seek good and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you.

2 Corinthians 13:11 Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, life in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Philippians 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

I know that God has been with me in those times of my life that I was rebellious and not seeking Him – the protection and His promises of grace were always with me, even when I wasn’t cognizant of them.  Perhaps it would be more fitting to say that I was not with God and therefore could not experience the fullness of His presence.

When Paul was shipwrecked, God was with him and protected him along with the entire crew.  Paul was in dire straits, but God was with him and working through him.  However, when the Israelites were engaged in battle with the pagan nations around them, God did not fight for them if there was sin in the camp.  Furthermore, He let them know about it in no uncertain terms!

My prayers still include the petition for God to be with someone, or with me.  But it is no longer a trite thing.  I pray that we align ourselves with the will of God, so that His presence is fully with us and engaged with us in power and truth.  I want to be with Him, and He with me, in every sense.  Jesus is my Emmanuel!

What do you think?  Further insight always appreciated!