On the Water or in the Boat?

I once heard a story about a great miracle.

A traveler was on a boat with his friends and they were toiling in the night to cross the sea.

A storm blew across the water that night and made the way difficult. The wind raged and the waves rose, and in the midst of it all, the travelers saw the figure of a man walking on the water.

They were terrified…

but then the man spoke.

“Be of good cheer,” the man called, “it is I; be not afraid.”

As you may know, that man was Jesus, and the men in the boat were His apostles.

“And Peter [one of the apostles] answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.” (Matthew 14:28-29).

I recently heard another story about a ship, although this one is not so old.

President Brigham Young once said, “We are in the midst of the ocean. A storm comes on, and, as sailors say, she labors very hard. ‘I am not going to stay here,’ says one; ‘I don’t believe this is the “Ship Zion.”’ ‘But we are in the midst of the ocean.’ ‘I don’t care, I am not going to stay here.’ Off goes the coat, and he jumps overboard. Will he not be drowned? Yes. So with those who leave this Church. It is the ‘Old Ship Zion,’ let us stay in it.”

So, why the stories about ships today?

Well, I was impressed that in the middle of our storms, we are occasionally asked to step out of the boat, and at other times we are asked to stay in it and hold on tight.

In both stories, the people were safest where the Savior was.

And so, if the Savior is on the water, we will go to Him.

If He is in the boat, we will stay with Him.

For, wherever the Savior is, there will we be also.

He is our refuge in the storm, our light in the darkness, and the hope of this world.

Whether He asks you to stay in a boat or step out of it, I urge you to trust in Him and follow Him. Take His outstretched hand, stand by Him, and allow Him to return you safely home.

This is my plea to you, and His greatest hope.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.