In Mark 6 we read about the time when Jesus walked on water. His disciples were in a boat, straining at the oars, when they saw him walking on the lake. Thinking they saw a ghost, they were terrified and they cried out.

Verse 50 says, “…Immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’”

Jesus didn’t want them to continue to be terrified, so he spoke out immediately. In exhorting them to be brave, he made two short statements–one in the positive, the other in the negative—that basically said the same thing. First, they should take courage. Second, they shouldn’t be afraid. The Bible, Old Testament and New, often urges us to put aside our fears and act courageously.

How do we do this? I think the key is that short, but important, sentence in between the two statements on bravery—“It is I.”

When we realize that Jesus is in our midst, fear quickly dissipates and courage springs forth! Any time you feel scared, put your trust in Jesus. He is the key to being brave.