45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened
The disciples had just witnessed the feeding of the five thousand with the five loaves of bread and the two fish. You might say they were on a spiritual high. One can only imagine what the conversation was like in that boat – WOW, who is this guy anyway?!? All of a sudden the wind begins to beat against them and they are straining at the oars. Ever been there - from the mountain top to the valley in the same day? If so, you are in good company. (For some odd reason that brings me comfort!) Jesus, on the other hand, after the miraculous feeding, had gone up on the mountain to pray. Seeing their struggle below from above, He went out to them – walking on their trouble. (This too brings me comfort.) They catch a glimpse and are terrified thinking it is a ghost and once again, IMMEDIATELY He spoke to them saying eight precious words - "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." (And now they are comforted!) The wind dies down and they are utterly amazed – their eyes are opened a bit more to His Majesty. Next time we go from the mountain top to the valley and we are “straining at the oars” so to speak, it would do us well to remember these eight words and look with Jesus down towards our difficulty from the mountain top.