evergreen, a devotional designed for teens: (12/11/02)
Because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (Mark 6:50)


Sure they saw something on the water. It was definitely the figure of a man. Perhaps it was an hallucination. No, they all saw it. Perhaps it was a ghost. That would be in line with the paranormal events they had witnessed: thousands fed with barely enough to fill a knapsack; the sick instantly made well, a dead girl resuscitated. They had seen him who was unclean physically as well as socially suddenly be cleansed. Perhaps the demons themselves were sending this spirit in retaliation for their own miraculous good works.


The thought never entered their mind that this figure might be real. It had a familiar form but surely not even the one who calmed the sea could walk on it. They were startled mostly because they had their mind on the task at hand. Just like you could be walking into the attic and be startled by the shadows, mistaking them for burglars, out of the corner of their eye, in the midst of the storm, between strenuous tugs on the oars, they were frightened by the figure. They were startled. However, in the midst of their cries of despair, they were greeted by the calm voice of the Master.


At some time in our lives we will feel swamped. It is so very easy to see the gravity of the situation and forget to look around for the presence of Jesus. It could be in the kind word of a friend, a message in a song, or in an open door. It is their that he reminds us, “Don’t be afraid. I am here.”


What is the chief storm in your life right now?

In what ways are you aware of the presence of Jesus?


Lord, in the midst of our storm,

Help us not to see the waves,

Feel the wind,

Or struggle with the oars,

Let us be keenly aware of your presence

Questions? Click here to ask us!!

The Lord is my light and my salvation-

Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life-

Of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)


“There are rumors of layoffs down at the plant.” “I heard that our company just merged with another and there is talk of site closings.” “It looks like we are going to have to do some restructuring.” “We are eliminating all of our middle managers.” For some, these and similar words are paralyzing. There was a time in the United States where a person could join a company, give a good, honest effort and be rewarded with something even more valuable than a weekly paycheck: the security of a life time relationship. That idea seems as ancient as the 8 track tape. Perhaps I should say as ancient as the Model T.


What has happened is that more and more people are putting their security in their own skills, abilities and marketability, instead of in any outside organization, including multi-billion dollar corporations. People read self-improvement books and journals, attend seminars, and keep up to date on the latest industry trends. It seems as if all in life’s poker game have the proverbial ‘ace in the hole’.


But what is security? Safety? A place where we are free from enemies. A refuge? A place of peaceful hiding. A Sanctuary? A place to retreat where the adversary cannot touch us. When we build security, we are trying to guard against the uncontrollable. What arrogance to think that we can control the uncontrollable. We must realize that there is only one who holds the future. We must put our trust in Him, not in another’s or our own ability to protect against life’s uncertainty.


What fears face me at work each day?

How does the Lord give refuge in these fears?


Lord, be my shelter;

Be my sanctuary;

Be my ever present help in time of need.