Get Out of the Boat
Matthew 14:
Matthew 14:24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost! 27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” 28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” 32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.
PWhat a fantastic truth about Jesus walking on the water and calming the waves when the disciples were in troubled seas. We have all been in troubled seas from time to time and the desperation level is usually according to how big the waves (symbolically) are crashing against us. Some things to note in this scripture. First of all Jesus sent them out on the sea without Him physically in their boat. Secondly, Jesus can control the sea whether He is right there with them or far away. So realistically Jesus was always close to them. Also, they didn’t recognize Him at first and thought He was a ghost. But when Jesus called out and said “don’t be afraid” Peter did the “Peter thing.”
Peter wanted to make sure it was really Jesus and said “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” ˆSo Peter had to have some form of belief knowing that if it was Jesus He could help Peter walk on the water too. Jesus replied to Peter by saying “Yes, come!” So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water to Jesus. End of story? Well, what else needs to happen for Him to prove himself to Peter? There is a “but” that is inserted in this scripture that says a lot about our Christian life. You would think that Peter would keep His eyes on the one who was empowering him to walk on water, BUT he saw the waves and the strong wind and it scared him and he started to sink. Peter shouted “Save Me, Lord!” You can see that Peter went from hopping out of the boat and walking on the water to almost drowning. What changed? His focus changed and Peter began to look at the circumstances of the weather and quit looking at the source of his water walking and then he began to sink.
I am scheduled to get a procedure done next Wednesday to take care of a knee problem that has progressively gotten worse over the past few years to the point that I have bone on bone. The pain has been incredible. Incredibly BAD!! On a scale of 1 to 10 my pain is a constant 7 with many times going to 10. I am thankful I can still putter around and not have to be in a wheel chair, but I have to do something. So I will be getting a shot in my knee to hopefully rebuild my cartilage and then do rehab for quite awhile to get my body lined back up and functioning properly. The procedure is a step of faith and medicine, but it is the unknown that gets me. In a way, I am like Peter when I signed up for this and stepped out of the boat. My storm has been the pain I am feeling and the compromising of my lifestyle and I am ready to see some clear skies, but I need the touch of Jesus more than anything else. Jesus is going to do the best for my knee and that is my prayer of faith in Him.
It is my desire to totally trust Jesus and keep my focus on Him supplying healing and not on what I may experience over the next few months, so please lift me up in prayer because I know prayer works. In the above scripture it tells of Peter crying out and Jesus immediately reaching out and grabbing him to save him. But Then Jesus said “You have so little faith.”Why did you doubt me?” After that the wind stopped and they got back in the boat. The disciples saw all of this and they said “He truly is the Son of God!” I will probably have some times of doubt and confusion during this process and it is my prayer that my eyes will keep focused on Jesus and not my situation. Maybe you are going through a storm today and you need some more faith. Fix your eyes on Jesus and let Him teach you to walk on the water as you go through it. Step number 1 – Get out of the Boat!!!
The Pilgrimage continues…..
David Warren