Life is filled with both literal and figurative storms. In John 6:16-20, we witness a powerful encounter where Jesus meets his disciples in the midst of a storm, walking on water and declaring “It is I. Don’t be afraid.” This miracle reveals more than just Jesus’s power over nature – it shows us who He is and why He came.
Who Really Controls Our Lives?
After Jesus fed the 5,000, people wanted to make Him king by force. They were thinking selfishly, wanting Him to fulfill their immediate needs and free them from Roman rule. But Jesus withdrew because His mission was greater – addressing deeper issues of sin, separation from God, and our need for eternal life.
Too often, we try to fit Jesus into our own plans rather than surrendering to His greater purpose. We want Jesus to be our co-pilot when He should be the pilot. True abundant life comes from living His way, not ours.
How Does Jesus Respond to Our Struggles?
Jesus sees us in our struggles, just as He saw His disciples in the storm. He doesn’t always immediately rescue us, but He walks toward us in our fear. When the disciples were terrified, Jesus spoke gently: “It is I. Don’t be afraid.” He didn’t rebuke them for their fear but reassured them with His presence.
What Makes Jesus Different from Other Religious Figures?
When Jesus said “It is I” (ego eimi in Greek), He was making a divine declaration, the same phrase God used in Exodus. Unlike the Old Testament where God’s presence brought fear and distance, Jesus brings God’s presence directly to us in our storms.
How Does Jesus Handle Our Storms?
Sometimes we pray for immediate deliverance from our storms, but Jesus often chooses to walk with us through them instead. Our greatest refuge isn’t the absence of storms – it’s Jesus Himself. He took on the ultimate storm for us through His death on the cross, demonstrating God’s love while we were still sinners.
Life Application
This week, consider these questions:
Where are you trying to control Jesus instead of trusting Him?
What areas of your life need to hear Jesus say “It is I, don’t be afraid”?
Are you willing to trust God with your storms, even if immediate relief doesn’t come?
Challenge: Take time in your daily devotions to shift your prayers from “Lord, do this for me” to “Lord, what can I do for you?” Submit to His will rather than trying to bend His will to yours.
Remember, Jesus will never abandon you in life’s storms. He’s already taken on the ultimate storm for you through His sacrifice. Trust in His presence, even when the waters are rough.
This series may be taken as a course offered by the Online Bible Institute. For more information check out the Keys Vineyard Ministries Courses page.
Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.
