After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.
A large crowd kept following him, ….‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do…” Continue reading>> John 6
Take a Moment to Ponder
In another month and a half we will start the hurricane season. The season is a time of living on the edge. Yet, it is also a time of heightened preparation. In the midst of living on the edge and the preparation is the voice of the silent God in Jesus Christ who says, “do not be afraid, it is I” or more precisely “do not be afraid, I am.” In this latter sense, the reader is transported back to the liberation of the people of Israel in the book of Exodus. There God announces the divine name as I AM (Exodus 3). In the Gospel according to John Jesus is announced as the I am in chapter 6. Faced with a storm at sea the disciples surrendered to I AM and got to shore safely. In a similar way we too will be caught in the storms of life; not just during the hurricane season but throughout our lives.
Practical Action
Trust in the presence of God, as the disciples did, while still working for peace and calm, is sufficient to get us safely through the storms of life.
A Moment in Prayer
Protecting God, you alone can, and does stand by your people through good and bad times; through times of joy and sorry, and, in happiness and sadness; when the storms of life overtake us, and we are thrown to and fro like the disciples in the boat on the sea of Galilee, stand by us like the rock of Gibralter and keep our feet planted in faith, hope and love. Though our trust in you may waver, and we often lose our sense of direction on the pilgrims way, cause us to be redirected by your guiding hand and lead us into paths of righteousness, peace joy and happiness. Protect those who have no faith and find it hard to trust in you. Be their light along the way and help then find their Morning Star, your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forevermore. Amen
Contributed by Canon Garth Minott
