DAY TWENTY-ONE | Matthew 14:22-33 by Abigail
As soon as the people were fed, Jesus told his disciples to get into their boat and to go to the other side of the lake while he stayed behind to dismiss the people. After the crowds dispersed, Jesus went up into the hills to pray. And as night fell he was there praying alone with God. But the disciples, who were now in the middle of the lake, ran into trouble, for their boat was tossed about by the high winds and heavy seas.
At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came to them, walking on the waves! When the disciples saw him walking on top of the water, they were terrified and screamed, “A ghost!”
Then Jesus said, “Be brave and don’t be afraid. I am here!”
Peter shouted out, “Lord, if it’s really you, then have me join you on the water!”
“Come and join me,”Jesus replied. So Peter stepped out onto the water and began to walk toward Jesus. But when he realized how high the waves were, he became frightened and started to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he cried out. Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and lifted him up and said, “What little faith you have! Why would you let doubt win?” And the very moment they both stepped into the boat, the raging wind ceased.
Then all the disciples crouched down before him and worshiped Jesus. They said in adoration, “You are truly the Son of God!”
Dancing on Water
Unlike some of the passages that I have already written about, I am just now really starting to love this scripture. This is a part of the process Jesus is taking me on that we are calling “My Missionary Training.”
Please don’t miss understand me when I say that, I am just starting to love this passage. I always thought it was fascinating, but was one of those things that really didn’t apply to me.
Boy, was I wrong! What I thought didn’t apply to me is changing my understanding and the way I look at life. Which is so beautiful, and it is one of my favorite parts of Jesus. He is constantly showing us new things, in places where we don’t expect to see them.
Jesus has shown me so much in this passage recently! I can SO relate with Peter on so many levels. (Especially when I am physically, emotionally and spiritually tired) Sometimes, God calls us into such “scary” places. Like going into a sea that has super high waves with a trust is one of God’s favorite things to see in His children!
Then when I see the high waves and the storm, I can sometimes partner with fear instead of the trust that moves mountains. And then I start to sink. When we call out to Jesus, He comes and takes our hand and we walk hand in hand to our boat. Once we are in the boat, the storm subsides.
But we didn’t really need the storm to stop until we look at the waves and not our Beloved. And instead of saying, “Well, if you had just had more faith then…” Jesus simply says, “What little faith you have! Why would you let doubt win?”
He didn’t get frustrated or peeved with Peter, but loved him and stopped the storm. But Jesus never calls us out on the water if there is not the provision for it, and He never gives us more than we can handle.
As I said I really relate to Peter in the part about trusting Jesus until I see the waves and storm. I am so grateful that Jesus is now teaching me how to focus my eyes on Him in the mist of the storm and waves as I “walk on water”.
As I was writing that phrase “walk on water”, Jesus reminded me of a song that I wrote a few years ago, as we were spending time at our friends’ house.
I actually think I was helping put the dishes/food away, when I started to sing, “And we are dancing, dancing on water, I am trusting you won’t let me go under”. There is much more to the song but that is the base of it.
That was such a perfect picture of where I am at now. Jesus loves to give us little hints and revelations about things we will use in the future.
As I am walking with Jesus, our walking gradually becomes dancing, and out of that place, I am re-writing the song. I added, “And we go Up and Down, All Around, the storm doesn’t bother me,” and it later goes on to say that why it doesn’t bother me is because I am with Jesus.
So my prayer for us is as we are walking on water that we start dancing with Jesus in a trusting dance, knowing that we can’t go under because we are with Jesus. He doesn’t take us into a storm where He isn’t with us.
JOURNALING QUESTIONS // LINK TO PLAYLIST
Examine – How would you describe what this passage reveals about the life of Jesus?
MindShift – Is there anything about what you read in this passage that challenges the way you think about what it means to follow Jesus?
Prayer Focus – Is there any prayer that you can pray to co-operate with Holy Spirit to see your mind renewed to become more like Jesus?
