Navigating Troubled Waters

It was a passage of incredible peril and complexity. Today we know the passage as the “Strait of Magellan,” named after Ferdinand Magellan who “discovered” the waterway on this day in 1520. This discovery took place on Magellan’s breakthrough journey, the first to circle the globe.

For a long time, the existence of this passage was rumored to exist. As ships sailed throughout the “New World,” it was thought that a passage existed at the tip of South America, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific. As early as 1507, a world map included a strait.

What Magellan discovered has been described as “maze of islands, bays, and channels” 350 miles long. It took 38 days to navigate these uncharted waters. The journey was so hazardous that, a few years later, the route was abandoned. Ships traveled around South America rather than risk the strait.

Great discoveries often are accompanied by great dangers and risks. And those who travel by sea often have faced incredible perils in the process of their journeys.

The disciples of Jesus included seasoned fishermen. Yet they were terrified by a “great storm” that struck while they were sailing on the Sea of Galilee.

When Jesus was awakened, He simply “rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.” There was no reason to fear, for Jesus was with them. They just needed faith in Him.

Today, remember that Jesus is with you through every experience. As you sail through uncharted waters and face uncertainty, He is with you. His power is real, and He is there to deliver you and give you peace. He will lead you safely to your destination.