16When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19When they had rowed three or three and a half miles,[b] they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." 21Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. (NIV)
It seems rather appropriate that the scripture for today features the words, "Don't be afraid" when all around us are the trappings of Halloween. The setting is one where we can't help but sympathize with the disciples when they see Jesus. He wasn't where they expected him to be and he was doing things that were beyond what they anticipated was possible. But the Bible says to the people of God over and over again, don't be afraid, and yet fear seems to be one of the greatest hurdles for us to overcome. We and the disciples are in the same boat and when we hear those words of Jesus it might help if we actually let him into our boats and see where that might take us.
Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:
- What do you think the disciples thought was going to happen when they first saw Jesus walking toward them?
- The disciples turn out to be people who are able to face even death without fear. What do you think it took for them to overcome the fear in their lives?
- Do you find yourself dealing with fear on a regular basis? What are some of the things that cause you to fear?
- If you let Jesus into one part of your boat that is facing fear today what difference might that make?
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