When the storm was over the teacher said: 

“Willie why were you not afraid like the other children?”

“Because,” said he, “I knew the lightning was only an arrow in my Heavenly Father’s hand, and why should I be afraid?”

How well Willie had learned the lesson which Jesus taught his disciples when he performed so many miracles to show what power he has to protect his people from danger!

Here is just one other story to illustrate this truth.  We may call it: 

“The Widow’s Tree,” Some years ago a violent storm, with wind and thunder, swept through the valley of Yellow Creek, in Indiana County, Georgia.  For more than a mile in width trees were uprooted, houses, barns, and fences were thrown down, and ruin and desolation was spread all over the land.

In the centre of the region over which this hurricane swept stood a small cabin.  It was occupied by an aged Christian widow, with her only son.  The terrible wind struck a large tree in front of her humble dwelling, twisting and dashing it about.  If the tree should fall it would crush her home, and probably kill herself and son.  The storm howled and raged, and the big trees were falling on every hand.  In the midst of all the danger the widow knelt in prayer, and asked God to spare that tree, and protect her home, and save her own life, and that of her son.  Her prayer was heard.  And when the storm was over, the widow’s tree was spared, and strange as it may seem, was the only one left amidst that scene of desolation.  There it stood, as if on purpose to show what power our loving Saviour has to protect from danger those who trust in him!

But, in the last place, we see that Jesus performed some of his miracles for the purpose of teaching us that he has power to—­PARDON.

A man was brought him, one day, who was sick of the palsy.  His limbs were helpless.  He was not able to come to Jesus himself, so his friends carried him on a bed.  At this time Jesus was preaching in the yard, or court, connected with some rich man’s house.  In those eastern countries the houses were not built as ours are, with a yard back of them.  There is a square yard in the centre, and the house is built round the four sides of this square.  This open space is generally used as a garden.  It has a fountain playing in it, and a covering of cloth or mats spread over it to keep off the sun.  It was in one of these open courts that Jesus was preaching on this occasion.  A great crowd had gathered round him, so that the friends of the palsied man could not get near him with the bed on which the sufferer lay.  Then they concluded to carry him up to the top of the house, and lower him down inside.  This would not be easy to do with us.  But the eastern houses are not so high as ours.  And then they have flat roofs, and a flight of steps leading from the ground, on the outside, to the top of the house.  This made it very easy to get up.