The Lord will give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, but your Teacher will no longer hide Himself—with your own eyes you will see Him. And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind: “This is the way.”   Isaiah 30:20-21

On some future date, far beyond the life of Isaiah, Jesus and his disciples will be in a boat in the middle of the sea.  The opposite shore will be nowhere in sight.  It will be dark, and the sea will be churning.  Uncertainty and fear will overtake them.  Jesus will appear, walking on the water.  He will say, “It’s Me. Don’t be afraid.”  Like a child whose parent shows up to take care of everything, fears will turn to calm.  Pounding heartbeats will normalize.  Adrenalin will subside.  Awe and unworthiness will wash over them as the power of their Savior is made evident.

All of us are navigating our lives.  There’s often no light on our path. Wisdom for the next step is completely elusive. The shore is behind us. Everything familiar is out of sight.  We are in uncharted waters, feeling inadequate.  The sea is churning.  Passages are difficult.  Reaching a distant shore seems impossible.  Fears are intensifying.  Rational thoughts are no longer within reach.  The roar of the waves bombards our senses.  What next?  We cry out to Jesus.

Where is He?  He’s right there in the middle of it, asking to be invited into the boat. “It’s Me.  Don’t be afraid.”   He has not hidden Himself from us.  When sought, He will be found.  Faith reaches out and is rewarded. He alone is our anchor, our deliverer, and our comfort in the waiting.

Never has a voice been as sweet as Yours, heard beneath the noise of my life.   Amen