I have been to the Sea of Galilee and can tell you that it does, in fact, exist.
The interesting thing about the Sea of Galilee, especially in the context of this passage, is that it is more of a lake (often called the Lake of Tiberias) than a sea. So, if you think about it, it is hard to imagine a storm that made Jesus' disciples fear their lives coming across a lake. When they saw Jesus, He told them to "Take heart...Do not be afraid". Although I have no doubts that this situation actually happened, I think God is just as evident in our own situations. When I feel like I am drowning in life, He just reminds us me that He is near! Sometimes, we just need to seek God diligently enough to recognize that He really is in every situation.
This passage is just another one of God's clever ways of showing us that even in small situations that we view as the end of the world, He is always there.
I really needed encouragement this week, even though it's a short week, and I found it in this passage.
I hope you do, too!
-K
