WALKING ON WATER

An amazing thing had just happened! As the disciples set out in the boat from the remote shore, they talked excitedly about the miracle they had just been a part of.
“Five thousand men!” Exclaimed Peter as he dipped his oar into the water, “five thousand men and who knows how many women and children, fed on those measly 5 loaves of bread.”

“And two fish,” added Mark.

Peter nodded as he dipped his oar faster and faster. “Two tiny fish at that! Why they weren’t worth keeping in my book.”

“If I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes,” added Thomas as he bent his back to his oar, “I would never have believed it!”

“Our Lord did it, somehow,” said John with sweat beading on his brow as he rowed fiercely, “I don’t know how, all He did was look to Heaven and prayed a normal blessing on the food. Nothing fancy, no big words, no chant, He just prayed.”

“And just like that,” Peter’s voice rose above the wind that assailed them farther out from shore, “just like that he began handing us bread and fish and more bread and fish. My legs were about run off serving all those people!”

“Every one was stuffed full and even more left over for our breakfast.” John remarked, yelling against the rising wind. “If, that is it doesn’t get wet and spoiled with these blasted waves.”

And so the banter went on for awhile. The twelve men had been exhausted when they came back from their missionary trips. Jacked up yes, and excited to tell Jesus all about their adventures a field, but weary to the bone and hungry. Jesus who had just received the devastating news of his cousin’s grisly death of beheading by Herod, suggested they all go somewhere quiet and remote to rest and recharge.

When they rowed across the Sea of Galilee, they saw that a huge crowd had beat them to the far shore and was waiting for Jesus. Instead of sending them away, as Peter certainly would have, Jesus spent the day healing their sick and teaching.

After the miraculous dinner, the crowd became excited, sure that Jesus was their promised Messiah and king who would deliver them from the Roman rule. So Jesus told them all goodbye, sent his disciples back across the lake and went off alone to pray.

Out on the lake the waves rose as the wind blew harder. The banter soon died down as the little boat was tossed about on the waves like a cork. Soon sweat ran from their bodies and they put all their strength into the oars. Hours went by as the wind roared and waves poured over the bow.

The twelve men were becoming desperate. A short row across the lake was turning into an all night fight against wind and waves. Their strength was running out and their arms were weary as they made little headway against the mighty wind.

At the darkest hour of that very dark night, about 3:00, they glimpsed something way out on the lake. When the boat rose on the swells they could make out what looked like a shimmering light hovering over the water.

A few swells later and they could see it was growing closer. It was white and seemed to be glowing in the deep darkness. It was so odd, this white glow hovering above the roiling waves. Fear filled their hearts, their hands shook and every one of them stopped rowing.

“It’s a ghost!” Cried one of them.

“Don’t be afraid,” came a familiar voice across the water. “Take courage I am here.”

“Jesus,” whispered Peter. Then he yelled, “Lord if it’s really You tell me to come to You and I will walk on the water to do so.”

“Yes come,” replied Jesus.

So you know what Peter did? He climbed out of the tossing, heaving boat. When his foot hit the water it did not sink. Then his other foot came out of the boat and it too stayed on top of the waves.

However Peter didn’t notice. He had eyes only for His Lord and friend. His eyes never left the white, glowing figure just a few yards away as he rushed towards Jesus.

The waves heaved the boat high on a swell, moving it farther away. Suddenly Peter noticed the roiling sea below his feet and the wind blowing his robe out like a sail. He dropped his eyes and looked at the heaving waves and the darkness all about him.

He began to sink. Slowly. To his knees. Then to his waist.

“Save me Jesus!” He cried.

Jesus was immediately at his side. Reaching down, He grabbed Peter and pulled him out of the water.

“You have so little faith,” Jesus said with a little chuckle. “Why do you doubt Me?”

Then Jesus and Peter climbed into the boat and the wind stopped. The disciples were amazed and for the first time they worshiped Him as their God.
“You really are the Son of God.” (from Math. 14:13-32, Mark 6:45-52)

Why would Peter want to leave a perfectly good boat during a fierce wind storm in the middle of the night? I sure don’t ever want to leave my boat.
I don’t think Peter, being who Peter is, thought about it. He saw his friend and Lord and wanted to be with Him. Am I that eager to be with Jesus? To brave roaring wind, heaving waves and a roiling sea to be at His side?

Has Jesus ever called you out of the boat?

The wind is rising, the waves are getting rough. Our boat is tossing around on the heaving waves and the dark night is surrounding us. We don’t know which way we’re going. We don’t know the way we need to go in the darkness. We row but the wind pushes us back and we make no headway. The darkness closes in around us. The waves pour over the bow.
I see a Light shinning in the darkness. A voice comes across the waves.

“Don’t be afraid. I am here.”

Its Jesus, He never leaves me or forsakes me. This I know. He has been by my side many times before, but this time, He calls me out of the boat.

“Come to Me, Child.”  

In a difficult time of upheaval and uncertainty in dealing with John’s upcoming knee surgery I was praying the other day for patience and compassion while being a care person to him in his recovery. A care person I am NOT. I can take care of animals till the cows come home, but people? Well that’s a horse of a different color. My first inclination is to tell them to “cowboy up” and “stop belly aching” rather than being compassionate. Not nice I know, so that’s why I was calling for help. And I was praying, of course for John’s safety and the success of the complete knee replacement.
As plain as day, I heard His voice, “I will take care of John. He is in My hands. You just need to walk on water.”

“Oh,” I breathed, with relief, “OH? Is that all Lord? How in the world am I supposed to walk on water?”

“Just keep your eyes on Me.”

We have a deadline, two weeks before surgery date and two pigs need to be butchered. We have just processed our pig, which took two weeks with the curing time. The other pigs are sold, but we can find no place to take the two for butchering. No shop within two hundred miles can take them before December. There are many other things that need to be done around here before winter and John will be laid up for weeks after surgery. Seven days (his time off) out of the two weeks is not a long time to butcher and process two pigs, and it’s a very labor intensive job.

And now they are saying John has a low white blood cell count and may not be able to have surgery. It’s something he has had for many years, but the surgeon doesn’t want to do surgery until he is checked out. How many doctor visits will it take? How many tests will have to be done?

Any of my friends who know me, know I hate doctoring and John is not much better. Nothing causes anxiety worse for me, than medical issues, in myself and my loved ones.

“Now,” Jesus says, “is when you need to walk on water.”

The wind is roaring. The sea is heaving. The waves are rising high under my feet. I take my eyes off my Deliverer and I look at the dark, roiling swells. I focus on the angry, pitching waters. My eyes peer into the darkness surrounding me. Where is the boat? Where is my help? Where is my support?  I begin to sink. Slowly the water comes to my knees, then to my waist.

“I am sinking Lord! Help me!”

Jesus is immediately there. He reaches down and pulls me out of the water and to His side.

“Oh you of little faith,” He says, “why do you doubt me? I have this. I am in control. I will take care of you and John. All you need to do is keep your focus on Me.”

Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus is mightier than the wind, mightier than the sea.  Why do I doubt Him? Why do I fear? Why do I look at the waves? He is my help. He is my comfort. He is my refuge in the storm.
Nothing else.

“I cried out, “I am slipping! But Your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.
When doubt filled my mind, Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
But the Lord is my fortress; my God is the mighty Rock where I hide.”
Ps. 94:18-19, 22