May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." (Matthew 14:22-33)

In Christ's name and to his glory, dear friends: This Gospel account has to be one of the favorites of many Christians. It is one story I remember very early in my life. One of the 10 tall stain-glassed windows in the church where I sat as a little boy shows Jesus pulling up a half-immersed Peter as the waves swelled around them as a little boat bobs on the waves in the background. Seeing that window every Sunday made me think of this story often. It is a wonderful Gospel that shows wonderful, faith-strengthening truths about our Jesus. And here Jesus shows himself to be a constant help in trouble.

Trouble comes to every soul that lives here in this vale of tears. We expect it, not only because Jesus says In this world you will have trouble (John 16), but also because experience teaches us to expect trouble. How many of even our happy days are not clouded by the thought, well, this isn't going to last. Some people are even so worried about the future and unseen troubles that they ignore God's clear warning and consult fortune-tellers, spiritual mediums and astrologers. But Christians turn to this little Gospel. Here our Savior comes to us. Here we get a picture of him that gives us the courage that the Bible calls faith. Here Jesus says those simple, little words that lift our hearts and give us strength to face trouble. Let's concentrate on these words: TAKE COURAGE. IT IS I.

Jesus knows. Take courage. It is I. Who is this "I"? He is my God who knows all. It was sometime during the 4^th watch of the night when the disciples heard Jesus say this. That means it was between 3 & 6 a.m.. The previous day the disciples had marveled as Jesus fed 5,000 men and their families with 5 loaves of bread and two fish. Then in the evening hours, maybe 7 or 8 p.m., Jesus put his disciples on a boat while he walked alone into the hills for some quiet time for meditation, prayer, and rest. During the night the storm quickly blew in and caught the disciples. These men, many of them experienced fishermen and sailors, fought the waves probably a good 4 to 6 hours, from evening to some time during the 4^th watch of the night. What would you & I think if we were in that boat? Where is God? Why doesn't he help? Doesn't he know that I am in trouble?

Jesus knew. He always knows. We use the Latin word omniscient for his all-encompassing knowledge. There is nothing he does not know. Right this instant he knows how many pears are growing on that tree outside, how many seeds total are in those pears, and which ones the crows are going to eat today and five days from now. He knows everything. And in the parallel Gospel, Mark says that Jesus "saw" them in trouble (Mark 7). Not just that he sensed something was wrong, like we might have a premonition, which may or may not be warranted. He actually saw what an ordinary person could not see-a dozen men, miles away, through stormy blackness, struggling against the storm. Jesus is God. He knows all because he sees all. And more than just seeing, he knows perfectly when and how to act. He waited hours while his friends struggled to hang on to life. It was not the waiting of not know what to do or knowing but not being able to do something. It was the perfect waiting of the almighty who says My time has not yet come (John 2). I know when to take action for the good of my children.

Jesus knows. That scares us when we remember that then he knows when we sin, when we get into our boats and say I'll do what I want God. We cannot hide it from him. And when our rowing leads to stormy life and conscience, when we see our helplessness, suddenly he reminds us of how he knows, that he is our Savior who died to take away our sin. His forgiving mercy makes the thought of his omniscience comforting to us. My Savior knows. Take courage. It is I he says. Or, when we are following him but then the storms of the cross life make following tough, then suddenly he reminds us that he knows. Take courage. It is I. I have not forgotten you. I know.

Jesus is with you. There's more for our faith. Take courage. It is I. Who is this "I"? He is my God who who is with me always. Remember that the disciples had pushed off from shore while Jesus walked away toward the hills alone. Sometime during this anxious 6 hours or so of rowing I am sure that each of them thought of another time, maybe a few months earlier, when they had been caught by such a sudden storm. That time Jesus was with them, asleep in the hull of the boat. Then they just woke him and said. Don't you care if we drown! That time Jesus had just spoken to the wind and it stopped. If only he were here now. So much did they think he was far away that when they did see him, they thought it was a ghost and not Jesus. They just did not think he was there. But he was. Take courage. It is I. He was there. It was not just that he was in their memories and thoughts as when we say I'll be thinking of you or as some poets say think of me and I'll be there. Jesus was with them always.

And Jesus is with us too. Really! We use the Latin word omnipresent for the truth that God is always with us. I am with you always he said, and he meant it. If I am in the deepest depression and feel alone, my feeling is wrong. God is there. If I forget about him taking pride in my ability, I am deceiving myself. He had been present to bless my every effort. If I have trouble and face challenges, Jesus is there with me.

Jesus can do the impossible. And there is still more. Take courage. It is I. Who is this "I"? He is my God who can do anything. The disciples again saw that this Jesus was their God who controls the winds and waves and everything else in all his creation. Suddenly the storm is gone. All is quiet. Everyone is safe. Why? Jesus does the impossible. He is God.

Nothing is impossible for him. We use the Latin word omnipotent for the truth that all power is in the being of our Lord Jesus. Again, the fact that this power is in the hand of the one who died to purify us from all sins is comfort. He will not use his power to harm but to help, protect and rescue. He walked out there into the storm to help. This is always on his mind-to help, to make things right, to bless. I know the plans I have for you. Plans to help and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29)