Jesus had been teaching on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. But now it was evening, and He insisted his disciples sail across the lake to Bethsaida while He went to the hills to pray.

About three o’clock in the morning, Jesus saw that the disciples were in serious trouble, rowing hard against a terrible storm. Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. But thinking He was a ghost, they cried out in terror. Mark, chapter 6 tells us, “They were all terrified when they saw him.” So beautiful, however, what Mark wrote next. He says that Jesus, caring about their fear, spoke to them at once with these words: “Don’t be afraid. Take courage! I am here!”

What a difference it makes when Jesus says, “I am here!” When God asked Moses to lead the Children of Israel out of captivity in Egypt, God told him, “I will personally go with you, Moses.” When Moses eventually died after leading the Children of Israel to the edge of the Promised Land, God appointed Moses’ assistant, Joshua, to lead them on, saying to him, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” God gave similar promises to others down through the years. The prophet Nathan assured David, “God is with you.” The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Haggai all heard God’s same promise, “I will be with you.”

If you are facing storms that threaten to sink your boat, He says the same thing He told His disciples, ““Don’t be afraid. Take courage! I am here!” And the Bible adds, “He will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).