But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:30-31 [NASB]
Peter and the disciples
were in a boat crossing the sea Jesus told them to take after feeding the 5000
men, along with women and children. After they departed, He went to the
mountain alone. During the fourth watch (3am-6am), Jesus walked on the sea toward
the disciples’ storm-tossed boat far out at sea. The disciples saw him and thought
He was a ghost. They did not believe it could be Jesus since they had never
seen a person walk on water. They did not first believe in Jesus’ power, but
allowed their small understanding of Him cause them to trust first in what they
feared, a ghost or death from being at sea in a storm.
The disciples allowed
their culture and their fears to dictate what was real and what was powerful.
The wind causing the waves to batter their boat and toss them around was
fearful for them because people die at sea. Their fears of dead people’s spirit’s
inhabited and possessing them for evil caused them first to fear what appeared
to be Jesus. Their little understanding of Jesus’ power caused them to doubt
the person they recognized was the living Jesus. The disciples fear, culture,
and lack of understanding and belief created for them a crisis. They could not trust
what they saw-Jesus walking on stormy waves-but had to determine its
authenticity by their flawed understanding as people.
Peter was uncertain,
but he wanted to hear Jesus’ voice to confirm His reality and presence. He
asked Jesus to command him to come. Peter recognized Jesus’ voice, and he understood
Jesus’ command to come because Jesus commanded him, Andrew, James, and John in
Matthew 4:19-22, “Come follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” Peter
wanted to be certain it was Jesus when all around him was waves and storm
caused by whipping winds.
Jesus loves to hear
from His disciples. He did as Peter asked; He commanded him, “Come.” Jesus knew
Peter’s heart and that he wanted to follow Him. He understood Peter feared He
didn’t know the Master completely. Peter didn’t trust his instincts yet that it
really was Jesus. As a fisherman, he had experience with the storms on that
sea. Peter realized the wind could knock him over and the waves could swallow
him. He wanted to trust what he saw was Jesus. Peter’s heart knew it was Jesus,
but his mind needed confirmation, and Jesus gave him that with His voiced command.
He knew these things about Jesus. Peter didn’t yet realize Jesus was Master
over the winds and sea.
Jesus commanded Peter, “Come.”
Peter stepped out on the water and kept his eyes on his teacher in faith, truly
recognizing him. Still, Peter’s mind told him to look at the waves, see the
wind’s work, and remember these storms kill fishermen. He began to sink and all
on which he had to hold was his small faith and hope that what he saw really was
Jesus. His last hope before sinking under was to call out to Jesus, “Lord, save
me.” “One whom I respect and recognize has power, save me!” Peter said.
Jesus stretched out His
hand and took hold of Peter. He asked Peter why his faith wavered. Without
Peter’s answer recorded, Jesus got in the boat and the wind stilled. The wind
recognized Jesus’ Lordship.
There is more at stake
here than Jesus’ Lordship of the winds. In our understanding of creation, we know
Jesus was part of creating all that is and so we recognize Jesus is Lord over
the winds. What is most important in this passage is the disciples’ growth in
faith, specifically Peter, but all of them because they all worshiped Jesus in
verse thirty-three.
Jesus could have made
the winds stop and allow the disciples smooth sailing over the sea while He
prayed on the mountain. He could have calmed the wind that caused the waves
when He began walking on the water towards the disciples’ boat. That would have
made it easier for a human body to walk on water. Jesus could have calmed the
wind and water when He arrived at the disciples’ boat. That would have made it
easier for Peter to walk on the water so he mentally wouldn’t hesitate when he
wanted to walk to Jesus. Jesus did none of these things. Instead, He answered
Peter’s request. Jesus commanded Peter to come.
Jesus calls to each
person, “Come.” We state within ourselves, “Sure, He is powerful and can make
it smooth. I will trust in Him.” Yet, days will come when the winds of the
world cause storms to rise around us. On those days, we hesitate and ask the
Lord to command us again, “Come.” His first command when He called us to come
follow Him is in our memory, but our fears and culture collide with it and we
doubt. We want to believe and so we ask Him to call us again. We want to
believe He’s there and we are to continue to follow Him, but the winds and
storms of our days make us doubt Jesus really called us. What we see and hear,
and what we carry from our culture dictates to us what is and can be. Our minds
and experiences try to take over our hearts. It’s from there we cry out to
Jesus, “Lord, save me!”
Jesus could have made
the way to Him easy for us every day. He could have kept the winds from
battering our minds and hearts. Jesus could have stopped the winds when He
answered our prayers to call us to come to Him again. Yet, He doesn’t always do
that. What is He doing at these times? Why isn’t Jesus stopping the winds and
storms? He is doing what He did for Peter and the other disciples. Jesus is
growing us so we recognize He is Savior and Lord. Peter recognized Him, called
to Him, believed in His power, and then let his circumstances dictate to him
how powerful Jesus might be. He defined Jesus’ power by his own circumstances
instead of letting Jesus define the circumstances.
Life would be easier if
there was no wind and storm, but then we would be weak Christians with little
need for Jesus. Without strength training, muscles stay weak. Without spiritual
training, our faith remains small. Jesus allowed the waves to continue as He
walked on the water, as He called to Peter to come, as Peter walked toward Him,
and as He rescued Peter and they walked to the boat. Only after Jesus climbed
into the boat did the winds still. Each step Jesus and Peter took was one step
more to strengthen Peter’s faith and grow him toward Jesus.
Life gets hard and
messy. Jesus calls to each of us. He calls us to come follow Him. As we follow
Him, the winds of life do not always still. In their blowing, Jesus calls us to
continue to follow Him. He knows it would be easier if the winds stopped, but
He wants us to grow stronger in our faith to become closer to Him and become
more like Him. Jesus allows the winds, not to harm us, but to strengthen us. He
defines the circumstances. His “come follow me” doesn’t stop when life is hard.
Jesus’ call is louder and more insistent during these times so we can hear Him
while in the storms.
Though the sun does not
shine, the storms batter the house, and the battle rages in your mind, Jesus’
call still resounds loud and strong, “Come, follow Me.” He is near
you, calling you to come, and stretching out His hand to you.
Don’t
let your circumstances define your faith. Let Jesus define your circumstances.
Let Him show you He is
Lord over everything in and around your life. Allow Him to grow your faith and
your relationship with Him. Step out on the water and recognize He is Lord.
Then you will join the disciples worshiping Him, proclaiming to Him, “You are certainly
God’s Son.” (vs. 33) Let Jesus to be your sunshine on stormy days. Allow Him to
be your stability. Let Jesus gently erase the memories of your past and replace
them with His reality. He loves you and will not let you sink if you follow Him.
Jesus is Lord of your past, present, and future.
Lord,
help me to see You and have faith in You even when I am weak, when the days are
dark, and my heart wants to doubt. Help me to grow toward You and more like You
each day. Forgive my doubt and falling back on what I know from my culture and
history. Help me to remember You are Lord of my circumstances and they do not
define who You are or what You can do. Thank you for your patience with me.
Amen.
