“Have courage! It is I.”
When we read these words in Matthew 14:27, from the viewpoint of our modern context, it’s easy to miss their significance. It’s easy to dismiss them as a much needed encouragement, and little more. The disciples, after all, were frightened. They were stranded in a boat, far from shore, their vessel “battered by the waves.” Jesus went out to them, walking across the water, which only terrified them more (vv.24–25).
To calm their anxieties, Jesus said, “It is I,” clarifying who He is. And immediately, Peter recognized his teacher. The climax of the story would seem to come later, when Peter joined Jesus in the waves. But the truth is, this verse is a bombshell. Jesus is making a statement of cosmic proportions.
In a few short words, Jesus was not merely identifying Himself, not in the usual way. This statement is not like announcing yourself at your parents’ back door: “It’s me! Just popping by!” Jesus was not just identifying Himself as the man they know and love. Instead Jesus is making a monumental claim, one that Matthew’s Jewish listeners certainly would have noticed. He is identifying Himself as God.
“It is I”—translated from the Greek words ego eimi—is a reference to an Old Testament story. About 1,500 years earlier, God identified Himself to Moses in a similar way (Exodus 3:14). In other words, Jesus wasn’t simply identifying Himself in the midst of the storm; He was identifying His place in human history. Jesus is no ordinary “good person” who loves God and happens to know a lot about Scripture. Jesus is God Himself, the God who identified Himself to Moses and who has always been with His people. He is the God who is more than able to command the threatening waves below Him.
It’s an audacious claim, blasphemous even, had it not been true. And it’s a claim that continues to assert its power today, promising that Jesus is with us and reigns in authority over it all. Jesus is not just another prophet. He is not just another priest. He is not just another rescuer. He is not just another king.
He is the intimate presence and the almighty authority of God.
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44 thoughts on "Jesus Is the Son of God"
Amem
@Theresa – if you are here, how is is Arlo?
Wow! The devotional is so good. “It is I” Jesus identifies himself in history. It is so awesome to see the old and new testament come together. Ex 3:14
I love Isaiah 41:10. It is the very verse that I sent to my student yesterday as he faces his aortic aneurysm surgery on Wednesday at noon. He is beyond terrified as his mother died on the operating table from the same surgery. I told his story earlier. He has recovered from depression and drug use and returned to the God of his youth. Please keep him in your prayers.
Praying now INDIANA. Our Lord is the Great Physician. He’s got this.
Indiana Elayne, praying for your student.
I loved all of the passages today! The first thing that stuck out to me today was the selflessness of Jesus. In the first part of Mathew 14 John the Baptist has been beheaded and his disciples came and told Jesus. Jesus goes away “to a deserted place by Himslef” I’m sure to mourn for His friend and cousin. In the next verse Jesus comes out from the deserted place and is met with a great multitude and it says “and He was moved with compassion for them, and He healed their sick.” I can’t imagine losing someone I love, and then having people come bother me with their problems, and feeling that deep compassion on them, as Jesus did. Lord help me be more like You with each passing day and thank You for loving us and showing us compassion each and every moment of every day ❤️
@Sharon Hoode Miller beautiful devotion and thank you for the reminder that “He is the intimate presence and the almighty authority of God”
@Tina well said my friend! Praying these words “Have courage! It is I” are burned in our minds, lips, and deep down in our hearts!
@Kelly(Neo) thank you for pointing this out- my prayer is that I never become too “familiar” with God and constantly seek Him!!!
@Julia C we are conqueror’s through Christ!! Love this- Putting on the armor of God today and everyday!
@Michelle Patire- I do this too- Lord heal our insecurities!
@Laura Dianne I echo your prayer- Lord help me to see past my hardships and stay on top of the water holding Your hand!
have COURAGE ladies for He is with us always! Praying ☮️and ❤️over you all today!
FIRST day of Spring break! The sun is UP! SLEPT 8.25 hours! Devotions were GREAT! Heading out for a run to talk to MY Jesus and pray for ALL of you!!
Thank you Lord for your mercy and grace. Thank you being our companion and comforter….”It is I”. You are our relief and solace.
“Do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you; I will help you;
I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.”
Thank you Jesus that we can trust You and in You. ❤️
Arlene…WE your SRT family lift you UP in prayer to OUR JESUS! Let us lift you up when you feel you can’t! WE are here for you sweet Arlene. God will not let you down. Even when you don’t feel HIM, He is with you!
He is the great I Am! Hallelujah!
So grateful Jesus is our Savior and our God! Our cornerstone among the storm of life. His timing is always on time!
Good morning ladies and thank u all for your prayers. The days are long and I’m not used to sitting around and letting people do things for me. I am trying to stay in a good mind frame but it is hard. I keep praying that God with show me a better balance once I return to work. I just keep thinking that this is my sign to slow down. Earlier last wk (before I broke my foot) I found out I have a bulging disc in my back and arthritis in my neck. Not the best thing for a hairstylist. Now I am forced to slow down and rest. I trust in God that he will provide me with all that I need. ❤️
Some thoughts about faith. When I see the disciples first response to the crowd, I see myself. They asked Jesus to “send them away” for we only have 5 loaves & 2 fish. How often do I “send away” a miracle because the very little I’m holding in my hand doesn’t seem like enough? How many times have I stopped a miracle opportunity because I didn’t have enough faith in Christ’s ability and only looked at my own feeble ability? And then, right after Jesus performs a fabulous miracle with the feeding of the 5000, Peter still doesn’t have enough faith to keep his eyes on Jesus, and falls in the water. How much am I like Peter? How many times does Jesus have to show His power and faithfulness for me to believe the next time I need it? I really don’t want Jesus saying to me, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”. Oh Father, that I would have faith to look to You every. single. time. I need You, and to not look at the storm around me and be distracted by it. Help me in my unbelief.
Good morning all. The waves seem very high for me this morning, the new meds still don’t seem to be making a difference and I struggle so much with feeling defeated because I don’t have enough faith, and trusting that God will not let me down. So many of you are struggling and I lift each one of you up as I read your comments. Today Lord, I pray that you would give each one of us a clear vision of your presence, that you would show us Your Goodness. Give peace and rest to our souls as we fix our eyes on you.
Whenever I hear Isaiah 41:10 I’m reminded of the song on the “Seeds of Courage” album that I would listen to with my kids when they were little. So many good verses put to song that still come into my mind 15+ years later. For those of you who learn scripture best when put to music you can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHYyWfcamr8
GM My She’s!
It’s always good to be back to normal routine although it was wonderful to have a little get away with family and staying in a big, beautiful house surrounded by woods! My dad’s health is so bad it makes me sad for him that he isn’t the strong dad we know! It was a fight for his wife to get him there, and although he only stayed a couple of hours I know he felt loved.
Isaiah 41:10 is my first memory verse for this year! I love it, so comforting. I have been able to quote it many, many times in ministry this year! But time to move to a second. (yes, I am very challenged with memorization :/ ) Reading Mathew always brings The Chosen to mind to realize it was REAL people with very real situations rather than quick stories we read through dozens of times. The scene with Peter walking across the water to Jesus was done really well.
I liked the devotional’s expounding on the “it is I.” I sometimes have a difficult time with explaining/proving how Jesus is the Son of God AND God in easy terms, this was helpful. Also, HRT’s devotional today.
Covering you all in a blanket prayer this morning. I have an unspoken requests please.
Dear sisters, may we also remember, “it is I, during our joys and thank Him for these times in our lives. He is very much present in our celebrations! Prayers for your needs this Monday.
“Lord, save me!” Peter was doubtful and afraid. He was so confident at first, what happened? He took his eyes off of Jesus and focused on what was happening all around him…how often to I do that? We can not take our eyes off of Jesus for one second, if we do, we start to sink. There is much going on in this world – all around us – if we keep our eyes on that, we will crumble – we will doubt and fear. BUT GOD has prepared a better solution, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. When we do, we have nothing to fear – He never leaves us or forsakes us!
@Taylor – welcome back! Praying that you will overcome your anxiety and that God will give you wisdom in your situation.
Have a blessed Monday sisters, and keep on looking up!
❤
@Searching, the part about the people be offended at Jesus also spoke to me. I thought I could easily be one of them. Imagine growing up with someone your whole life, but they are worlds smarter, kinder, wiser, and “greater” in many ways than you… You look at yourself and you see your “lack” and feel insecure.
I could imagine myself doing that because I do that with my own circle! They needed God’s healing in their insecurities. Lord, heal me in those places and forgive me for my offense and judgement.
Thank you all for the prayers over the weekend. I was really struggling mentally, so I appreciated them! I took some time off serving at church yesterday for some space to rest and process with the Lord. Still continuing to train at this new job. It is not super hard to learn with my hospitality and cafe background :) praying to make a difference for the Lord there, as long as I’m needed.
❤️
@Taylor – may God give you the wisdom you need for these conversations. May you trust Him to work all things together for good. May you find God’s love in these places of hardship. He goes with you and gives you what you need – peace, words, wisdom, the mind of Christ. Praying you be still and know He is God over your situation. ❤️
@Danielle B- thank you for your prayers. After reading your posts over the weekend, I want to pray for you! Praying God be near to you and your family. I pray you don’t lose hope in each situation. I pray you continue seeking Him for all things. I pray you see His goodness with your family situations, your car, and any other distress in your life. Thankful you are here with us. God loves you, Danielle!! ❤️
@Molly R- relate a bit to your nightmare thing. May God give us wisdom and grace to know how to respond well when they occur. May we have the wisdom to know He is there fighting for us and that the enemy is overcome. ❤️
@Mia Faith ❤️ God’s covering over your heart and your family, right now.
@Mercy – thinking of you and your husband. God’s wisdom and strength to you. May you continue to love each other to the best of your ability. ❤️ God’s grace grace to you.
God bless each one of you ❤️ Happy Monday!
I had never realized that when Jesus said it is I that He was declaring the same thing God had told Moses. What a wonderful insight. He is the s as me yesterday, today, and forever! We have the same Jesus with us as Moses, and the disciples, and every believer since!
”Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.“
Isaiah 41:10 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.41.10.NLT
A few things got my attention this morning –
From Matthew 13:55 & 56 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? …. Where then did this man get all of these things?
Then vs 57 – And they took offense at Him.
Taking offense at someone sharing knowledge with me – that is not my typical response (unless they were totally obnoxious about it – I’m convinced that Jesus was not). So that leads me to believe He stepped on their toes with what He was teaching- so they lashed out rather than taking a good hard look at themselves.
Feeding the 5000 men, plus women and children … so that’s what, maybe 8-10000 at least? And then 12 basketfuls left over – Abundance is the word that comes to mind.
And Peter sinking is a good reminder to keep my focus on Jesus.
TAYLOR – praying for relief from anxiety and wisdom in seeking God’s will
CEE GEE ❤️ praying for your day!
Last night as I lay my head down to sleep I prayed for insight and a heart to do the work I knew I would be doing the next day. This morning I woke to read “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God… God is so good! God is so good at being God!
KELLY (NEO) They recognized him, yet did not believe. In Nazareth and on the sea. I didn’t catch that until you pointed it out.
JULIA C. Thank you for such a beautiful moving prayer.❤️
MIA FAITH. You are never far from my thoughts and prayers. Continuing to lift you up to God in heartfelt prayers.
@TAYLOR – You’ve been missed, glad that you’re here! Prayers for calm and peace as you deal with anxiety.
From HRT: If Jesus is the Son of God, we have nothing to fear. The challenge is to never lose sight of Him. Peter becomes distracted by the wind and the waves, so he begins to sink (v.30). The strength of the wind blinded him to the strength of the Son standing before him. And that is how it so often goes. Our troubling circumstances capture our sight so that we can see nothing else. The world shrinks to the size of our hardship, and so we sink into fear.
The world shrinks to the size of our hardship…yes, this. I so often cannot see past my hardship. It becomes my focus instead of Jesus. Help me, Lord, in the midst of hardship, to look to You instead of to the wind.
“It is I” is always in the details…why am I ever surprised….
I haven’t read the last few days. I missed it, but didn’t realize I missed it until last night when I had an awful dream about one of my children going missing at a mall. I woke up all out of sorts, and was reminded in the still of the night my lack of inviting God into my every moment, and an overwhelming desire for morning to come so I could open His Word, and to be filled with the light of sunrise.
And then, the first comment I read this morning? TINA’s confession to having had nightmares….
It’s in the small details that God is so faithful to show up and remind me that even when I fail to invite Him in to even the small details, He has ways of showing me He is still there.
So, “It is I,” please come be a part of my every moment today. Calm my anxious heart from the bad dream, forgive my complacency and the taking You for granted. Thank you for your Light the drives away all darkness!
It is I. Lord, help all of your sweet She’s know and remember this truth always. Amen!
Good morning She’s! This is my first time doing a devotional with you all in about a month. It’s been a busy season that has affected my precious mornings with God. I had a hard & hurtful conversation yesterday that has led to a lot of anxiety. Tossing & turning last night. Feeling nauseous & no appetite. I would appreciate your prayers for anxiety to decrease and for God’s will to be done in this situation.
I hope everyone has a blessed Monday <3
I’m just blown away that “It is I” is Greek for “I am”. Yahweh! Thank you, Jesus!
Good Morning She’s! Amen and Amen ❤️
“He is the intimate presence and almighty authority of God” beautiful.
Amen and amen!
There’s a saying, “Familiarity breeds contempt.”
The people from Nazareth watched Jesus grow up. They recognized Him, yet did not believe.
The disciples recognized Him on the sea, yet doubted, challenged, then feared Him.
The people living in Gennesaret (a town south of Capernaum), recognized Him and believed. They sought Him to heal their sick.
Praying for your requests. Have a blessed Monday
What beauty words to start the week – Take heart, it is I. And may it always be you, Jesus, who we turn to when the waves get rough, when the clouds roll in. May we lift up our eyes to the storm and see You. You are here, all along.
“Do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you; I will help you;
I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.”
Please keep this always in my heart Lord, through all the uncertain and stormy times in my life, as well as during the quiet, peaceful times. Amen.
Oh, what a read to start the week! I want to sit and savor, but have to head out early. Prayers appreciated for today.
In my times of fear and doubt, do I acknowledge Jesus’ Presence?
Prayers and virtual hugs to all SHES! ❤
SEARCHING – ❤ praying for improvement soon!
Amen
Every God-born person conquers the world’s ways. The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith. The person who wins out over the world’s ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God. – 1 John 5:4-5 (MSG)
Dear Father,
It is You: intimate and almighty at the same time.
You come to us, and you are with us, as we try to fight the waves of this earthly life: the loss of loved ones; the caregiving of loved ones; physical illness, mental illness, wars, injustice, loneliness, desires for a job, a husband, a child… Names are added to this list every day.
But You see them all.
May we always keep our eyes on You, knowing that You already conquered the world.
Faith in You is all we need: we are conquerors through Christ.
Thank you, Lord.
AMEN.
Praying with you through the day, dear sisters ❤️
Thank you for this prayer, sister. ❤️
Amen! Come Lord Jesus ❤️
“Have courage, It is I, Do not be afraid.”
I used to have nightmares, a lot! Oh boy did I? I would often wake up the whole household with my screaming! One summer, our neighbour came knocking on the door, to inquire that all was well!
My ex partner would gently hold me saying, “it’s okay, it’s okay, I’m here..” they were safe inducing words, I would open my eyes to.. and the audience of children!
BUT GOD..
“Have courage, It is I. Do not be afraid.”
Oh my, these words in Matthew 14 are words I need to hear, not just in nightmare dreams times, but in my days too. I can be easily affected by many things, emotionally. I need to write these words on my heart,. I need to know them in those times/moments of panic, anxiety, hurt, lost-ness, without hope, confusion, distress! When life is throwing more lemons at me than I can cope with!
Dear Lord Jesus, may I always hear your words as my first response..
HAVE COURAGE. Be strong. You can do this. You can face this. Trust Me.
IT IS I. I am with you. I am right here, I will never leave you, nor forsake you, no matter what. I am here.
DO NOT BE AFRAID. I outstretch my hands to you, always. I accompany you, always..
Lord Jesus, Thank you, thank you, thank you that I do not have to face the ‘waves’ of life alone, that You are near, and that with You, anything is possible, even the storms of life can be calmed..
AMEN.
Happy Monday dear hearts, wrapped in love and hugs by the truckloads..❤️
Praying through requests for prayers as seen..
MIA FAITH.. Continued prayers for you and yours covered in so much love, from across the pond!❤️