Pastor Stephen Dedman

Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭14‬:‭25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Are you trusting Jesus in the middle of your storm?

Context
The disciples were exhausted. They had been battling the wind and waves for hours, and Jesus seemed nowhere to be found. Then, in the darkest part of the night, Jesus came walking across the water toward them.

Notice when Jesus came: not when the storm was over, but while they were still in the middle of it.

Application
Sometimes we wonder where God is when life becomes difficult. We pray, we wait, and the storm seems to continue. But Matthew 14 reminds us that silence does not mean absence. Jesus was not unaware of their struggle. He knew exactly where they were, and He came to them.

The storm did not stop Jesus from reaching His disciples, and your storm cannot keep Him from reaching you. What feels like the darkest hour may become the moment you experience His presence most clearly.

You may not know how the storm will end, but you can know who is walking toward you in the middle of it.

Truth For The Day
Jesus is present even when the storm makes His presence difficult to see.

Pray
Lord, help me recognize Your presence when life feels overwhelming. Give me faith to trust You until the storm passes. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.
‭‭Judges‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Will you trust God while you wait?

Context
Israel’s story in Judges is a repeated cycle: rebellion, consequences, crying out, and deliverance. Judges 13:1 reminds us that sin can create seasons where it feels like nothing is changing. Israel had once again turned away from God, and for forty years they lived under Philistine oppression. Yet God had not abandoned them.

Before Israel even cried out, God was already preparing deliverance. He sent an angel to announce the birth of Samson, a child who would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines.

Application
Sometimes we look at our circumstances and wonder, “Where is God?” But God can be working long before we see the evidence. His silence is not His absence. His timing is not our timing.

Truth for Today
God is still working, even when you cannot see what He is doing.

Pray
Lord, help me trust You when I cannot see Your plan. Remind me that You are always working. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭32‬:‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
What is God trying to show youor change in you during this season of your life?

Context
Jacob was facing one of the most difficult moments of his life. He was preparing to meet his brother Esau, the brother he had deceived years earlier. Fear and uncertainty surrounded him. Jacob had sent his family and possessions ahead, and suddenly, he was left alone.

That night, Jacob wrestled with a mysterious man who is understood in the passage to be a divine manifestation. Jacob would not let go until he received a blessing. By morning, Jacob was physically wounded but spiritually changed. His encounter with God marked a turning point in his life.

Application
Sometimes God allows us to get alone because He wants our attention. We often try to avoid being alone with our thoughts, our fears, and especially with God. We fill our schedules, reach for our phones, stay busy, and look for distractions. But some of the deepest work God does in our lives happens when everything else becomes quiet.

Jacob entered that night carrying fear about tomorrow. He came out of it walking differently. There are moments when God doesn’t immediately change our circumstances because He is first changing us.

Maybe you’re facing something today that you cannot control. Maybe you’re worried about what tomorrow will bring. Perhaps God is allowing you to walk through a season where you feel alone.

Jacob’s greatest encounter came when he was left alone. Your greatest spiritual growth may happen in the same kind of place.

Truth For The Day
God often does His deepest work in us when He has our undivided attention.

Pray
Lord, thank You for meeting me even in the lonely and difficult places. Help me not to run from the moments when I am alone, but to use them to draw closer to You. Give me the courage to wrestle with the things You are revealing in my heart and the faith to hold on to You until You accomplish Your work in me. Change me, strengthen me, and help me trust You with what lies ahead. In Jesus’ name, Amen.