Matthew 14:22-31 – Jesus sent the disciples off in a boat while He dismissed the crowd and then went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Meanwhile, the boat was already some distance from land, battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. Then Jesus came toward them walking on the sea very early in the morning. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear. Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter answered him, “command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
This enthralling episode illustrates so many profound gospel truths:
Jesus will, along the way, send us off into fearful, storm-tossed situations. And although, especially in our darkest nights, we may not sense His presence, we can know that He is praying for us, and that He will manifest Himself to us in due course. At times the Lord will seem terrifying to us, as He reveals Himself and deals with us in ways which we have not experienced before. As His disciples we can know for sure that He will always hear us calling out to Him, and that we need never fear; His “Fear not” is always our secure lot and portion! Most certainly in our journey, He will bid us do what is beyond our capability, what is, in fact, humanly impossible apart from Him. And we will fail if we become focused on the storm and fearful instead of keeping our eyes fixed on Him in faith, trusting Him. And fail we will, along the way. But He will never let us fall, who are His, for He will uphold us. We “shall not perish, but have eternal life”–“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, for whosoever will trust in Him” (John 3:16)!
Whom will you help today to look away from the storm to Jesus?