The word that these men used to address Jesus— “Master” —is only used in Luke’s gospel. It was typically used for a commander, to emphasize the authority of the addressed person. The key to this miracle was that all ten men came completely under Jesus’s authority. You see, Jesus is only responsible for the parts of your life that you submit to Him. Only the parts of our lives that are under the umbrella of God’s covering are guaranteed not to get wet. But many of us live lives half-in and half-out; and then we’re surprised by the fact that the devil has taken hold. These men saw Jesus and asked for cover.

Have you ever been through a storm that caused you to see God in a different way? Often, we learn much about ourselves, and our God, in the midst of challenges—when we reach the end of our own strength. This was the case for Jesus’s disciples in Matthew 14.

If you’ve ever seen a child open his or her gifts at a birthday party, you know that it’s human nature to care more about the gift than the giver. So often, we unwrap the gifts and blessings in our lives with the sole intention of enjoying them—not of thanking the giver.