John 6:16-21

John 6:16-21
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Being in a boat at night is a fascinating experience.  It's often calm and quiet -- it can be a very peaceful place.  It is also intimidating -- you feel very small, and if your mind starts to wonder, you realize how much trouble you could be in if you fell out of the boat.  So if the water is rough and the night is turbulent, it sounds like a terrifying time to be in a boat in the middle of a sea. 
  But the disciples weren't afraid then.  They were only afraid when they saw Jesus walking on the water, probably because they thought he was a ghost.  Until Jesus walked out to them, they don't seem to be afraid. 
  The more time we spend around Jesus, the less afraid we are.  When we get the mindset that nothing can separate us from the love of God, and that even death doesn't have power over us, that can be wonderfully freeing.  There is nothing to be anxious about when we realize that eternity is in God's hands, and that we dwell there in safety.  There are other times in the Gospels, including times in a boat, when the disciples are afraid for their lives, just as there are times when we will take our eyes off of Christ and fear for ourselves.  But when we focus on him, we need not fear, for the mountains can collapse into the sea and he is still with us.