I want to reflect briefly this morning on today's Gospel reading. I actually took an entire bible study on this section of scripture, there is so much that can be unpacked, but I am going to stay simple today. In Matthew we have the story of Jesus walking on water and Peter walking out to him.
This scene follows Jesus performing the miracle of feeding over five thousand people with just a few loaves and fishes. It cracks me up every time that the disciples witness the most amazing of miracles and then in the next scene have so little faith. It cracks me up, yet, isn't that how we are? We see and know the amazing things God has done, yet then we doubt in the next breath!
The disciples first see Jesus walking out to their boat. They are very far from shore, it is the middle of the night and he appears to be a ghost. Naturally the men are afraid, but Jesus calls out "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." Peter wants proof (as though a man walking on water wasn't enough)! He asks Jesus to command him to walk out to Him. Jesus says "Come."
I want to believe that I would be like Peter taking that step out of the boat, but I am not 100% sure it would have been me. I want to think that I would be the one not just saying I have faith, but demonstrating it and living it out! It pains me to admit that I would probably be in the boat watching in amazement but also being a bit envious. Aren't we all like that so often. We wish we were the ones to really be living the faith we profess to have, yet when it comes down to is, we let insecurity and fear stand in our way.
I believe I have faith, but I guess it isn't always strong enough to be put into action. I let fear creep in and keep me from living it out. Peter had faith (at least for a moment). He had enough faith to step out of the boat onto that water. He stepped out in the night with the waves crashing and the wind swirling around them.
He actually began walking on top of the water to Jesus! There have been so many times that my faith has been strong enough that I have followed it. There are times I have stepped out to do something scary and uncomfortable and seemed to walk on water, but it was short lived. For whatever reason I took my eyes off of Jesus and either started to get full of myself, relied on my own power and not Gods, started to doubt that I could really do what I was trying to do, or I believed the lies that I wasn't good enough, strong enough or worthy enough.
When our eyes are so focused on Jesus, we don't let those outside distractions in and we can keep walking forward. It is when we take our eyes off him for just a moment that we can find ourselves sinking (the way Peter did). It took only a moment for Peter to lose focus and realize where he was. He became scared and started to sink!
When I do many of my workout programs that involve balance, one of the biggest keys is to keep my eyes fixed on one point. When I start to shift my gaze, I begin to lose that balance. The stronger I get, and the better balance I have, I discovered I can lose that focus and gain it back very fast and not totally fall on my face.
I think that this happens as our relationship with Jesus grows stronger and stronger. The more time we spend with Him and the more time we are in the Word, the quicker we can regain that focus when we lose it.
I want to live a faith that will make me step out of the boat, but I also need my faith to continue to increase so that my gaze will stay where it needs to be. I want the kind of faith that should I find myself sinking, I remember where my true strength is, in Jesus.
As Peter began sinking, he cried out "Lord, save me!" Scripture tells us that Jesus immediately caught him. Jesus is there for us whenever we need him. We just need to remember that and call to him. Talk about the ultimate safety net!
Where do you see your faith lacking? You can not go through life living with one foot in the boat and one foot out, that isn't truly living! It is time to step out of that boat, put your faith, hope and trust in God and see what it is like to truly walk on water!
No comments:
Post a Comment