Matthew 14: 22-33 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Why didn't they doubt?
IT IS _____. When the disciples saw a faint figure walking towards them, they didn't have any doubt about who it was. They didn't say, 'Is it a ghost?', but quite confidently concluded, 'It's a ghost.' This was probably their first time seeing someone walking on water. Why did they then conclude it was a ghost? Job 9:8 says, God treads on the waves of the sea. So, if Jesus was God, and if He was sending them ahead of Him to the other side, wasn't there a chance that He could walk on water? Why did it not even cross their mind as a possibility? Are we also these days too quick to attribute to chance what we should attribute to God? A child of God should start expecting 'coincidences' in their lives! And in prayer know which of these coincidences are not accidental, but intentional.
Was Peter expecting too much?
As mentioned earlier, if walking on water is something that God does, is Peter asking too much? If we were mentoring Peter, would we have tried to hush him down? Isn't Eve wanting to be like God, where the problem began? Or was it because Eve was consulting the serpent for it? C S Lewis says, '“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” Are we far too satisfied to stay within the boat? Are we satisfied with far too little in our walk with the Lord? Why would we attempt to walk on water, when we don't even desire it? I believe that being God's missionary is like leaving the known and comfortable ground and walking on waters. Many disciples keep thinking, 'If God wants me to walk, let Him ask me to walk on the waters'. God desires an eager and expectant heart that cries out, 'Lord, tell me to come to you on the waters.'
Father of Missions, William Carey on May 30, 1792, urged his Baptist colleagues to enter the missionary enterprise saying, 'Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.' Attempting great things for God begins with expecting great things from Him! By these words and his life example, Carey had inspired other missionaries like Adoniram Judson, Hudson Taylor, David Livingstone, and many others. What are you expecting from God today?
Why did Peter start sinking?
Peter here bravely takes three steps: (i) gets down out of the boat, (ii) walks on water, (iii) goes towards Jesus. Personally, I'm scared to even try swimming, so I am quite amazed by his courage! Interestingly Bible says, 'when he saw the wind, he was afraid.' When Peter took his first steps out of the water, he would have felt the wind, when he walked on water, he would have felt the wind, when he was going towards Jesus, he surely would have felt the wind. But, it is only when he shifted his focus from seeing Jesus, to seeing the wind that his fear kicked in and he started sinking. But I wonder why he should start 'sinking'? If it were me, sure, I would sink because I didn't know swimming. Peter as a fisherman should have surely known to swim, why then did he begin to immediately sink? I don't know.
Again, quoting C. S. Lewis, '“Faith, is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.” Faith is also enduring and continuing in the mission like a farmer waiting for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently hoping for God to provide the autumn and the spring rains. Angus Buchan, a farmer missionary was trying to grow potatoes in a land that had very less water. Despite the doubts of his friends, he went on to trust the Lord. They didn't have rain for several weeks, and the soil was dry. The plant seemed to be dying. When a pastor asked in doubt, 'How do you know if anything is there?', he replied, 'Potatoes are not like other plants. The growth of maize or corn can be seen from the outside. But for potatoes that grow underground, you must have faith'. Serving the Lord too is something like that. Many a time, we don't get to see the harvest. We should have faith that God is blessing our efforts and using them for the extension of His Kingdom. When what we see is the storm, may we have the certainty of what we hope for and do not yet see - the glorious coming of His Kingdom.
Link to the previous article: Why are you so afraid? Link to the next article: How long will you grieve?
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