𝘋𝘢𝘺 𝟹 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝟸-𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘖𝘓𝘠 𝘚𝘗𝘐𝘙𝘐𝘛 𝘰𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴.𝘤𝘰𝘮 . . .

The disciples, in obedience to the LORD’s directive, set out across the sea without Him.  In the darkness of the night, they found themselves alone in the boat, facing a terrible storm.  They were in their element, an area these rugged fishermen might have considered their expertise. But beaten by the waves, with the wind against them, they were in trouble!

We don’t know when darkness fell or when the storm arose.  We don’t know how long they had been exhausting their own resources, struggling, or panicking.  But, in the middle of this living nightmare, everything changed.

Do not fear … I am here! (Matthew 14:27)

They couldn’t understand how it was possible, but JESUS came to them, walking across the wild waves of that stormy sea.  He climbed into the boat with them, calmed the storm, and saw them safely to the other shore.

Fast forward to another frightened huddle of these same disciples. They were locked in an upper room, grasping for understanding of the fulfilled plan of GOD, the sacrifice of their LORD and Teacher.  Even though He had told them exactly what would happen, they still didn’t get it.  They were in a different kind of storm now – one of less knowledge, zero experience, one that was no less out of their control.

Suddenly, JESUS stood before them, appearing out of nowhere, behind locked doors!  They couldn’t explain it, but the reality of His presence spoke peace and comfort to their terrified hearts.  His words echoed back to that night on the stormy sea:

Do not fear … I am here! (Luke 24:38-39)

. . .

Swallowed up by grief, the unfathomable and seemingly senseless loss of their brother, Martha couldn’t sit still and Mary couldn’t leave the house.  Four days too late (by their understanding), JESUS came to them, wept with them, then spoke truth about His resurrection power that brought peace and joy to their hearts.

What made the difference for Martha and Mary that day?  Much like the comfort and help His fearful disciples received, it was the LORD’s presence, His words of truth and comfort, the glorious power of GOD that steadied their hearts and renewed their hope.

The risen LORD JESUS met another Mary in her grief.  She recognized His voice when He spoke her name and she clung to Him, overjoyed to see Him alive as He had promised.  But He redirected her, “Do not cling to Me…I am ascending to my Father.”  (John 20:17-18, ESV)  He would no longer be physically present in the lives of His followers, but promised them, “I am with you always.” (Matthew 28:20)

How could this be?  The very presence and comfort of the LORD JESUS here on earth would be taken from them.  How would these brand-new believers experience the same peace and comfort, words of truth, or power of GOD?

The disciples soon understood what JESUS had promised them: “I will pray to the Father and He will give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever. … The Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, will teach you all things, and remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:16 KJV, John 14:26, NIV)  “It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” (John 16:7, NKJV)

The Holy Spirit would be sent not only to comfort and to help them, but to abide in them always!  Although the Son would return to the Father’s side, the Holy Spirit would take up residence within them forever.  Their own bodies would become His dwelling place – the presence of GOD with His people!  It would now be GOD’s own Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who would speak peace to them, remind them of the words of promise JESUS gave them, comfort them, and help them.

. . .

The LORD JESUS had given them a glimpse of the Holy Spirit’s help: “When you are brought to trial before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.” (Luke 12:11-12, NLT)  

Later in the New Testament, Paul would testify: “The LORD stood by me and strengthened me.” (2 Timothy 4:17, ESV)  He didn’t say that the Son or the Father appeared in bodily form to stand next to him, but we do know that the Holy Spirit would have been dwelling within him and would have strengthened and helped him.

The same promises are available to us today: The Spirit helps us in our weakness (Romans 8:26, NIV).  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort GOD has given us (2 Corinthians 1:4, NLT).

When facing difficulties big or small, the greatest comfort we receive is to remember we are not alone.  The LORD offers His presence, His words of truth and promise, and His power – all available within us through the Holy Spirit.  He surrounds our hearts and lifts our chins and echoes the words of JESUS:

Do not fear … I am here!

𝘈𝘉𝘐𝘋𝘌 𝘞𝘐𝘛𝘏 𝘔𝘌 (𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘺 𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘴 𝘓𝘺𝘵𝘦, 𝟷𝟾𝟺𝟽)⁣
⁣
𝘈𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘦, 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘥𝘦;⁣
𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴; 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘦.⁣
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘦,⁣
𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘖 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦.⁣
⁣
𝘚𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘣𝘣𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦’𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺;⁣
𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩’𝘴 𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘪𝘮, 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺.⁣
𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦.⁣
𝘖 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵, 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦.⁣
⁣
𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳.⁣
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳?⁣
𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦?⁣
𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘖 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦.⁣
⁣
𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘯𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴,⁣
𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴.⁣
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩’𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨? 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺?⁣
𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭, 𝘪𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦.⁣
⁣
𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴.⁣
𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘦𝘴.⁣
𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘴, 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩’𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘦;⁣
𝘐𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩, 𝘖 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦.