Be of Good Courage - I Am!

We have been on our "Journey of Hope for the Future" for a month. When we first began the journey, I was excited to watch how the Lord was going to work in our boy's life.

I still am....

...but I began to feel overwhelmed by the weight of it all.

I began to feel as if I was drowning with trying to accomplish everything I had been called to do.  The road ahead was long and the day-to-day was becoming arduous.

Then the Lord reminded me of how much I am like Peter and had to take me across the Sea of Galilee to get me to see what I had been missing about this journey on which He has sent us.

To help, let me refresh you on what Scripture tells us in Matthew 14

22 Immediately [after feeding the 5,000] He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 

23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 

24 But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 

25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 

26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 

27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 

29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 

30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 

32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 

33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”

I have always loved this passage of Scripture.  I guess you could say it would be one I could talk about so easily because it was a favorite.  I could "claim" it for others to give them encouragement when they are in storms of life because I know how the Lord is there for us.

One little thing - I was Peter here.
I knew the path that the Lord had us on was His plan. I saw Him perform the miracles of having every step of this process fall into place, just as Peter saw Jesus feed 5,000 + people on five loaves of bread and two fish preceding this passage of Scripture.

I was Peter when Jesus put the disciples in the boat while He finished up what He was doing with the 5,000 +.

Peter was a fisherman.  He knew what it was like to handle a boat! I am a teacher - I know what it is like to work with children and help them succeed!

I was Peter when he said "If it is really you, call me out of this boat to come to you."  I was Peter in that I GOT OUT OF THE BOAT - and began walking towards Jesus when He made it clear for us to COME along this path to help our son.

But then.....I was Peter in that I began to take my eyes off of the One Who had called me to this journey and began to pay attention to the wind and the waves around me.  I began to drown. I began to cry out for the Lord to save me....I was trying to do it all just as He had called me to do!  Only, I was Peter and I forgot to listen to the precious words spoken just minutes before Jesus called Peter to "come" out of the boat and walk toward Him.

I was Peter in that I forgot that Jesus said "Be of good courage.  It is I.  Be not afraid."

I learned in the last week that the translation for "It is I." should actually be rendered "I AM." When I learned that, this whole truth from God's Word began to take on deeper meaning and the Lord spoke to me as if immediately pulling me from the drowning waves asking me "Why are you of so little faith....why did you doubt?"

"Be of good courage, Kellie."

"I AM. "

"Do not be afraid of this journey and let the waves of what is ahead drown you. I never sent you on this journey alone. I knew all along what would be ahead of you.  I knew all along that you would need to keep your eyes on me with every step."

I AM.

He is not  "I Was."  "I Might."  "I Will Think About It." "I Could."

No.

I AM.

He is with me.  He is with our son. The Lord is with all circumstances He has placed in my family's lives right now because He IS!

He sent us on the boat for our son's future knowing full well what this journey was going to entail. He came to me when I was drowning in work expectations, home expectations, mom/wife expectations. He calmed my fears in the midst of this storm. He will see us to the end of this long journey.

He taught me also while grasping this passage that the "fourth watch of the night" is between 3 and 6 in the morning - exactly when I get up each day to head to school.  This is when I must call on Him and keep myself focused for that DAY.

Little did I realize that I needed to learn this deep spiritual truth because our son was battling the same overwhelming waves.  Within a couple of days, he came to me with tears in his eyes and said, "But what if this doesn't fix it?  What if nothing changes after you have gone to all of this for me?"

Be of good courage, our Son.

I AM is with us.

I could confidently tell Him what the Lord had just shown me to help him understand that the Lord had sent us on this journey and it WILL work because He is there giving us courage, picking us up when we fall, getting into the boat, and calming all of our fears.

He will see us to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.....our Journey of Hope for His Future.

So.... Be of Good Courage...

I AM.

This song has replayed in my mind over and over since the Lord deepened my understanding of His truths. May it bless you as it has me.