Be of Good Cheer

In Matthew 14:27 after the disciples’ initial fear seeing Jesus walking on water we read, “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” In the midst of storm wind and waves, Jesus spoke. He must have been close to them. The boat is an ancient Christian symbol of disciples tossed to and fro with trials of faith, temptations and mistreatment. Yet, Jesus calms the storms and provides safety. In church architecture, the center is the nave, meaning ship. Noah was brought to safety (1 Peter 3:20-21), Jesus comes to our boat and carries us through the storms to eternity.