Smooth, confident, strong strokes suddenly start to become difficult, and you find yourself doggy-paddling in waves surrounding you. You stop to tread water instead to help offset your exhaustion, but those waves start crashing over your face and mouth. Panic and fear starts to set in…who can help?

If you have ever gone through that as a swimmer, you know that panic but we sadly all know that “drowning” feeling in life. The Good News is God is waiting to save us from any waves and storms in our lives, from being stressed at work to chronic illness to addiction to losing a loved one, nothing is too big for Him.

Isaiah 43:2 in itself is powerful, but backing up a verse, 43:1, there is a spoiler alert: “Do not be afraid…I have called you by name, and you are mine.” Parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles, teachers/youth leaders, and anyone who has a child in their life they love can understand the depth of these verses together. When you have a child in your life that you love, you would do anything for them! As a child of God, there is no water too deep, no circumstance too big, no sin too great, absolutely nothing that can keep God from reaching out into the waves of life to rescue us. All we have to do is stick out a hand and reach for Him.

I love connecting the Old Testament to the New Testament, and Matthew 14:22-33 pairs perfectly. There was a storm here, too, and Jesus was away from the disciples. Instead of leaving them to fight the storm alone, and even before they asked Him for help, Jesus went to them! If you are familiar with this story, Jesus not only sought them out in the storm but He walked on the water towards them, showing His power and how stormy waves are nothing compared to His power.

I can go on and on about the verses found in Matthew and probably will another day, but I highlight a here. Jesus tells Peter to “come,” and Peter steps out toward Jesus, “terrified.” I imagine Peter’s desperate cry over the roaring waves, “Save me, Lord!” Then comes my favorite part today. “Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him.” (Matthew 14:31).

This shows us that as soon as we ask for God’s help, He will reach out to us immediately, just as He did with Peter. The “waves” of your circumstances or the world around you may be roaring, but if you take that step out onto the waters, even when you are scared, and reach out for God, He will be there to grab your hand.

Reaching out to God today may involve a short prayer (crying, shouting, or praising—God welcomes all of it), diving deeper into Scripture to hear His voice, or sitting in silence and simply saying, “Save me, Lord!” That’s all He needs. He knows what is needed and is waiting for your outstretched hand so He can grab yours today. 

God, I pray for everyone reading this that they have the courage to reach out to You in midst of their own stormy, deep waters. We love you and it’s in your name we pray. Amen.