Staying above the Waves

READ: PSALM 46; MATTHEW 14:22-33; HEBREWS 13:8

One of my family’s favorite summer activities is going boating. The water sport we do most often is wake surfing, which is like surfing on the ocean, only behind a boat. The smoother the water, the easier it is.

On a trip we took to the lake one day, the water was extremely choppy, making it incredibly difficult to stay on my board behind the boat. It took all my concentration to hold my position and stay in that pocket (the part of the wave that pushes the surfer forward).

I began to notice that when my focus was on the boat in front of me, the unfailing source that kept me moving, I was able to maintain my balance. But the moment I looked at the waves around me, I was distracted and lost my balance. I would start falling out of position, and I could only find the pocket again when I returned my focus to the steady boat ahead of me. Looking at the huge waves would alarm me, but if I just focused on the boat, which remained the same, I would relax and stay upright.

In the same way, throughout our lives we are going to experience waves—trials that toss us up and down. Sometimes we panic because of the waves and easily lose our balance. We are unable to hold ourselves up. But when we turn our eyes to Jesus, the One who always remains the same, we can relax and stay above the waves, steadied by our hope in Him.

In the Bible, when Jesus was miraculously walking on the water, He invited Peter to join Him, and Peter walked on water too! But then, Peter literally began to sink when he focused on the wind and the waves around him rather than on Jesus. But Jesus didn’t let Peter drown. “Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him” (Matthew 14:31). In our own lives, whenever we get overwhelmed by the chaos around us, Jesus reminds us to turn to Him. And even when we forget, He is still our unfailing Savior who reaches out to rescue us. • Ella Hoy

• What hope do we have in Jesus? How can looking to Jesus and remembering His promises help steady us in a world that’s constantly shifting? (Matthew 28:20; Romans 10:9-11; Revelation 21:1-5)

• As Christians, it’s normal for us to have doubts. Our loving God invites us to talk to Him about all these things, being totally honest about what we’re thinking and feeling. In addition to talking to God, who are trusted Christians in your life you can talk to when you’re experiencing doubts?

Let the oceans roar and foam…The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Psalm 46:3, 7 (NLT)