As a mother comforts her child, so I will cover you
Isaiah 66:13
Cover me mommy. Charlies says this every night as we put him to bed. Along with Pray daddy and sing Hosanna mommy.
Bedtime is one of my favorite times of the day. And it’s not because it’s when the kids go to bed. It’s a time that we get to share these special moment together. It is a time when we pray with him, and tell him we love him and that we will always be there for him.
Jesus had just fed the 5000. Miracle. He immediately sends His disciples off in a boat ahead of Him while He dismisses the crowd and then goes to pray. Kind of like I enjoy the moments before bedtime, I bet the disciples were expecting a nice evening boat ride. But later that evening their boat gets tossed around by the wind and the waves.
In the middle of the storm, Jesus was walking on water. Now if I saw Jesus walk on water, I would hope I would be standing in awe of this incredible and impossible event! But just as the miracle was happening, the disciples watched and sat in the boat in fear. Did I mention this was soon after He performed that miracle where He fed 5000 with what would barely feed a family of 5?
Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea—
the Lord on high is mighty.
Psalm 93:4
The One who is mightier than the wind and the waves was in the middle of the storm. He was there, again doing the impossible. Walking on water.
Take courage, it is I. Do not be afraid. Come.
I’m currently in Charlies room as he sleeps, since he has not gotten better since being sick. We finally got a correct diagnosis, the virus is gone. But even with that, he isn’t getting better and the questions remain. Right now, this is his storm. I can imagine that sleeping isn’t very comfortable for him these days, and even though we assure him that we love him and we will be there, he wants to be sure that we are close.
Surely he will wake up, and ask if I am still there. He will ask to be covered with his blanket. The blanket that he has had since he was a baby, the one he won’t sleep without. I will tell him I am still there. I will gently cover him ,and he will fall back asleep knowing I am there, and covered in his comfort.
“Take courage, it is I. Do not be afraid. Come.”
And as uncertain as the past several weeks have been, He has certainly met us during this time. We have not been perfect by any means. We have been pushed to the limits of frustration in many different areas, but He has been there to give us a peace. He has given us love, when we feel like we have nothing more to give. He has challenged us to look at how we love differently. He has shown us in unexpected ways that He is with us every second of the day. He has let us see that when we give up the fight, His arms are there for us to rest and find comfort in. He has given us exactly what we needed, at exactly the right time.
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8
We all face different storms. Our nighttime is probably a small fraction of what you may be facing. But regardless of the size of the storm that you are in, the One who is mightier than the wind and the waves, is right there to meet you in the middle of the raging sea.
God, thank you that you are not a God that leaves us in the storm. Although you are mightier than the strength of the wind and the waves, You are also a God who is with us right in the middle of the storm. You call to us out and tell us to take heart, and to not be afraid. You tell us to come. So God we come. Cover us, and comfort us when we fear. Cover us, and blanket us with Your peace. Cover us, shelter us with the gift of Your love… right in the middle of the storm. In Jesus mighty name. Amen.
