A man driving along an interstate highway noticed a woman on the side of the road having trouble. She was trying to change a flat tire on her car. Being a gentleman, he stopped to offer help. It was a hot and humid day and it was hard and dirty work. But he did it. He was filthy and dripping with sweat as he completed the job. As he was moving to release the jack and lower the car, the woman said, “Please let the car down easily; my husband is asleep in the back seat.”

Can you imagine? How do you think that Good Samaritan felt when he heard that? I guess we could try to put the best construction on things and say there could have been several legitimate reasons why she had not wakened her husband: maybe he was ill; perhaps he was handicapped; he was mean and would have slapped her around; he could have been drunk. Yet it seems strange to us that a woman in this situation would not call upon her husband for at least for moral support. While this may seem ridiculous, listen to a similar situation.

Mark 4:35–41 (ESV) 35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

How many people today have Christ right in their life’s boat with them, but do not call to Him? Through faith in Jesus, you have His promise to be with you always. The amazing love of God is such that he goes right into the struggles, dangers, conflicts and crises of life with you. He is right there in your boat, with you, able and wanting to help. Do you wake Him?

According to Jesus, all the disciples really needed to do was waken their own faith. He said, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” Jesus was with them. Always. Through faith, they could draw on His strength and power in any circumstances. Eventually, they learned that the One who commands obedience from even the winds and waves could be absolutely trusted. They came to understand that He loved them with an everlasting love, a love for all people is that is constant, consistent, without hesitation or limitation. Each of you needs to discover and experience that love.

It is a simple story. Every evil thing that you have done and I have done, those things that make us deserving of eternal death, all of that was put on Jesus. He paid the price for all sin by letting Himself die in our place.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

After Jesus did this for you and for me, God raised Him from the dead to proclaim victory over death and the grave for all who trust that He is the Son of God and the Savior.

Romans 8:31–32 (ESV) What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Jesus is always right there with you in the boat as you go through life. Try to remember that.