Immediately

“But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”  Matthew 14:27 (NIV)

Do you think your life would change if you read the bible every day? I believe it will. Right now, I am going through a 21 day Fall in Love with God’s Word Challenge with some other amazing ladies. We are digging into God’s word together and focusing on the miracles of Jesus. Our lives are changing and it’s been amazing to see.

One of my favorite stories in the bible is when Jesus walks on water in Matthew 14:22-33. This is the reading from the first day of the challenge. The devotional that follows is found in the book When the Bases are Loaded that I coauthored with my dear friend Natalie Replogle.

As I read in Matthew 14 today, I was struck by the word immediately. So, I looked it up in the dictionary. I was blessed as I read the definition. The definition of immediately is: without lapse of time, without delay, instantly, at once. My God is an immediately God.

In the Boat

The disciples were in a boat being pushed around by the wind. When they saw Jesus walking on water they were afraid. In Matthew 14:27, we read “But Jesus IMMEDIATELY said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” I love how Jesus responded to the fears of the disciples.

He does the same for us. He asks us to trust Him. Like Peter, we wonder and question about the next step in life or even the next step in a day. I love how Jesus takes care of Peter as he steps out in faith.

Step Out

Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” -Matthew 14:28-30 (NIV)

We can learn a lot from Peter in this account. First, we need to trust that God will take care of us when we take a step of faith. Did you notice where Peter had his eyes when he walked on the water? Peter had his eyes on Jesus.

Why did Peter start to sink? He looked at the wind instead of Jesus. Like Peter, we also need to keep our eyes on Jesus instead of the storm brewing around us. We also learn that Jesus is the One who can save us. Peter knew who to cry out to. Look below to see how Jesus responded.

Immediately

“Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.” Matthew 14:31 (NIV)

I separated out this verse because it is just so awesome. Immediately- without lapse of time, without delay, instantly, at once- Jesus grabbed a hold of Peter and saved him from drowning. Jesus does the same for us.

In the storms of life, we may feel like we are drowning and that Jesus doesn’t care but that is not the truth. Jesus cares so deeply. He is reaching out His hand to save us. Jesus promises to be with us in everything even the storm. We will get through it. Wow…let that soak in.

Claim it.

Embrace it.

Believe it.

Take hold of Jesus’ hand and trust that He will immediately be there with you and never let you go.

Heavenly Father, thank You for reaching out to save me in the storms of life. Thank You that You are an immediately God. Please help me to believe the truth that I am not drowning. You are with me every step of the way. Please teach me how to keep my eyes on You instead of the storm. I love You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

If you would love to be encouraged more, please check out the When the Bases are Loaded devotional on the Store page.