Jesus is piloting a small sailboat. I’m seated across from Him and we’re chatting as He mans the rudder. It’s just the two of us and I’m enjoying hanging out with Him on a beautiful day.
Suddenly He stands up and His face grows very determined, sure, set like a flint. He tells me to come stand next to Him; a wave is coming and we’ll face it together. When I turn, all I can see for miles across is a massive wall of wave. It must be hundreds of feet high, an awe-inspiring and intimidating sight.
I’m not scared, because…well, Jesus. Static electricity fills the air around us and Jesus points at the wave with His left arm so I mirror Him with my right.
An opening forms in the wave, parting it like the Red Sea and our skiff shoots straight towards it. There’s lightning all around us and the wind is flying through our hair as we whip through the slot, water spraying on us from all sides. The wall of water is close, so close that it would be easy to reach out and touch it. The danger feels exhilarating though, and I find myself laughing out loud in delight– it’s a fast and wild ride.
We pop through to the other side. The boat slows then stops, and the water becomes peaceful again. We’re soaked through but grinning as we wring out our clothes and hair.
The Epiphany
I still smile when I think about that day, when Jesus brought the message “do not fear” to life. Big, terrifying, impossible situations become an adventure, an adrenaline rush, a shared story when Jesus is in the boat. He doesn’t just make us safe, He gives us a chance to take part in wonders we’ve never seen before.