Are you terrified by our own weakness, insufficiency, and sin? Does Satan sometimes whisper in your ear, “you are sinking, you will prove a hypocrite at last, you will soon be mine”? Are you afraid? The Saviour says, “Behold my hands!” These are the hands of our security, safety, and mercy.
We see this beautifully illustrated in Matthew 14:25-31. When Peter was walking to the Saviour across the calm waters of the early morning, all was well. He felt so good. But when he saw the storm approaching, he was terrified and began to sink. Then he cried, “Lord, save me… And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him.
In this life there are many storms that arise and cause us doubts and fears. The waves are high, and our faith is small. The winds are strong and toss us about so that we stagger. The clouds are heavy, and our guilt weighs us down. We then think that we will surely fail, and that our vessel will be wrecked. But just when we think we are sinking, the Lord Jesus stretches forth His hand and catches us! We hear his voice, the Spirit quickens our faith, and we are brought immediately into the ship. Then all is well regardless of our present circumstances.
Content with beholding His face,
My all to His pleasure resigned;
No changes of season or place,
Would make any change in my mind.
While blessed with a sense of His love,
A palace a toy would appear;
And prisons would palaces prove,
If Jesus would dwell with me there.
Believer, did He not say, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”? He has said “I will strengthen thee; yes, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness”! O, Child of God, you are safe and secure in His hands all the time, for He is both willing and able to keep you from falling.
-Fred Evans, pastor of Redeemer’s Grace Church
