Experiencing the walk

 

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 worshipped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:22-33

At the top of this Blog I have the saying: It is no point having faith in a Master who walks on water if we do not trust Him enough to follow Him.

It is a reminder that to be a follower of Jesus we really have to trust Him with everything that happens in our lives.

Peter experienced that walk on water. To him it was real, not a dream or a hallucination. It was something that happened to him and was witnessed by others; and it was considered important enough to be written about for us to read so many years later. To Peter, that experience will remain with him for the rest of his life. He actually walked on water.

But then he hesitated, he got frightened, and began to sink.

Just like us really. We claim to have faith in Jesus, and in God, and at the slightest difficulty in life we tend to lose faith.

Jesus asks us to come to Him through the ups and downs in our lives. Have we the courage and faith to trust that He will support us in all circumstances?  

If we look back over our life, there must have been moments when we knew for certain that God was there for us at times of trouble or difficulties. These are landmarks serving as reminders that our Lord and Master was there for us. Our own walking-on-water moments. 

Let these landmarks sustain us at times when we too hesitate and start sinking. Let them remind us to pray, "Lord, save me!" Just like Peter did. 

And let them renew our faith that He is truly the Son of God.