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When my son was small and still in diapers we took a trip to the ocean. 

He was a beautiful child with white blonde, curly hair and looked like a little cherub running around. It was his first experience being near the water.  He stood by the shore and watched the water come in and go out. As he got closer, the waves would crash at the shoreline and then knock him down.  He would giggle and get back up ready for it to happen again. He loved the experience. Over and over, my son would wait for the waves to crash on the shore and knock him down.   

The Word, in Matthew Chapter 14, gives an account of when Jesus and his followers had been taking care of a crowd of sick people.  When they were done Jesus sent his followers on ahead of him.  Jesus then went up on a mountain to pray and late into the night he looked out and saw them already a long way off in a boat on the sea.  The wind had kicked up and the boat was being battered by the waves. So, Jesus walked on the water in the middle of the night over to them.  As He approached, the followers were afraid and thought He was a ghost.  “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27). 

Then Peter, who was one of His followers, called out to Jesus and said, if it is You then let me come.  Jesus told him to come and Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.  However, as Peter was walking he noticed the wind and the waves and became afraid.  Peter cried out for Jesus to save him.  “Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind stopped” (Matthew 14:31, 32).

One day as I read this it caught my attention that the wind and waves did not stop until they were both in the boat.  That meant the whole time they were walking back to the boat, the waves were still crashing.  Jesus was holding onto Peter as they strolled back to the boat and the wind continued to rage.  I thought of my son as he giggled and anticipated the waves.  No matter how life treats us, we will always have waves. However be encouraged knowing that as followers of Christ we will also always have Jesus. Just like Peter, all we need to do is cry out and God will save us.

Yvette Perrin is a columnist for The Charlotte Gazette. She can be reached at theword2yvette@gmail.com.