Prayer
Before you read, I invite you to pray this prayer based on Psalm 119:162.
LORD, Your Word fills me with delight,
like someone who has found a great treasure.
Unearth the treasures of Your Word for me today, Lord, I pray.
Amen.
Briefly prepare your heart in silence, and ask the Holy Spirit to awaken your awareness to the voice of God, coming to you through His Word.
Reading
“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Do you need to hear that word from Jesus today? Are you in a situation that causes fear or discouragement? His beautiful words continue to echo to us down through the ages: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
I am almost 100% sure you are not currently trapped on a literal boat in a literal storm. But life in this fallen world throws all sorts of metaphorical storms our way. Storms of illness, bereavement, retrenchment, relational conflict, and many others come our way throughout our lives. If you are in the midst of some kind of storm right now, rest assured that Jesus comes to you, just as He came to them on that boat, saying: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” No sooner had the disciples’ need arisen than Jesus was there to strengthen and save them. And He has promised to be with us too.
But notice that His words are not only comforting. They are also words of command. There is self-discipline involved in responding to Jesus’ presence with us in the midst of life’s storms. We have to choose to respond to His command, “Do not be afraid”, and not allow our fear to control us. Instead, we are to bring all our fears and anxieties to Him in prayer (Philippians 4:6-7) and, having done so, choose to take hold of the courage He offers to us saying, “Take courage”.
Very simply put, Jesus invites us to bring Him our fears and the situations that give rise to them, and to hand them over to Him in prayer. Then, He commands us to receive from Him the courage to rise up and face the very situation we probably still feel fear over – but face it knowing that Jesus is with us and that with Him by our side, we will ultimately overcome!
Contemplation
Please take time to ponder what Jesus has commanded us. Turn these declarations over in your mind. Keep them in mind throughout the day and live in step with Your King, Jesus.
As a disciple of Jesus Christ,
- I will bring to Jesus every situation that causes me fear or anxiety.
- I will accept His gracious ministry and take His courage with me to face those situations, confident in His Almighty, loving presence with me.
Lord Jesus, I surrender to you the situations facing me today that cause me fear or anxiety. Please give me a clear sense of Your presence with me in my storms. I now receive a fresh measure of Your courage, and I commit to rise up and face very challenge that comes my way, with my hand in Your hand. Amen
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