Red Sky at Morning, Sailor Take Warning

 

But immediately

He spoke to them and said,

"Take heart.  It is I.

    Do not be afraid."

And He got into the boat

                  with them,

   and the wind ceased.

             Mark 6. 50-51

(And would we be afraid

   if we knew

that God is in this scary situation,

     this really hard place,

     this unfamiliar -- or familiar--

              volatile happening?

And that He is in the boat

                         with us,

    guiding us through the waves?

It does not mean that

    there is nothing to be scared of,

but we can approach and navigate

      the chaos or the difficulty

with fresh courage and strength

  because we are with

                   the Almighty One.

God is bringing something new

        into our situation.

He does not just leave us alone

             in the storms.

He covers us with His wonders.)

O LORD,

As Jacob said,

  "If I knew You were here,

  I would not have been afraid."

Enlarge our vision

   that we may see

   this difficulty differently

by knowing that You are with us,

knowing You are still here,

   and knowing after all,

        You are God.

Guide us through troubled waters,

and assure us

           of Your Presence,

              right here, even in this.

You bring Your peace to us

    in the midst of a storm

    we didn't see coming.

You don't throw us

             a life jacket,

   saying, "Good luck with that."

But You whisper to us,

              "Trust Me in this."

We can depend

       on Your strong embrace.

You get into the boat with us.