“But He said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’”
John 6:20

It is interesting that the account of Jesus calming the storm appears between the feeding of the five thousand with five small barley loaves and two fish, and the Lord’s declaration, “I am the Bread of Life.” This is actually very significant, as it forms a foundation for the seven “I am” statements.

From Gospel of Matthew’s account, we learn that the Lord compelled—constrained, or strongly urged—His disciples to get into the boat and go before Him to the other side (Matt. 14:22). When the storm arose, causing the wind and waves to toss their boat about, it was then that the Lord appeared. While they were in the midst of the storm, the Lord Jesus had been on the mountain praying. This is a picture of Him as our great High Priest, who ever lives to make intercession for us.

It was in this moment, in the midst of the storm, that the Lord revealed Himself. He appeared to them during their darkest time and said, “It is I; do not be afraid.” This is a powerful statement. The phrase “It is I,” in the Greek ego eimi, can be translated, “I Am.”

The Great I AM appeared to them in the midst of the storm they were going through, and when they willingly received Him into their boat, the storm ceased. The Lord had no desire for them to remain ignorant of who He was, nor did He want them to remain in fear.

In Gospel of John 18:6, when the soldiers came to arrest the Lord Jesus and He asked, “Whom are you seeking?” they replied, “Jesus of Nazareth,” and He declared, “I am He.” This statement caused those who did not believe in Him to draw back and fall to the ground. Yet in Gospel of Luke 24:39, these same words—“It is I Myself”—removed the fear from the troubled hearts of His followers. The same was true for the aged apostle John the Apostle, who was revived by the declaration, “I am the First and the Last” (Rev. 1:17).

Anchor For Today:
When you pass through the storms of this life and fear begins to engulf you, remember that it is then that the Lord Jesus, the great I AM, reveals Himself in a powerful way and says, “Be of good cheer; do not be afraid.”