Rocky by nature

Dr Iain Jamieson May 30, 2023 0 2

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Matthew 14: 22-36 (NRSVA)

22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 25 And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’

28 Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ 29 He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. 30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ 32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

34 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 After the people of that place recognized him, they sent word throughout the region and brought all who were sick to him, 36 and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

My goodness how many times have I done that in life. Really, truly deeply messed up and ended up being really, truly, deeply messed up myself as a result. Faith is what pulled me from the angry waves, love lifted me – as the song goes.

Just like Peter, God can call us to do some incredible, amazing and on the face of it impossible things. Here: it was a little thing about walking on water. Here’s the big bit though, Peter did get out of the boat and for a while there he did walk on water and man, that must have been some blessing. He must have felt on top of the world. Right there that’s a lesson in trust and what you and I can do if we are truly led by God. Oh boy though, the bigger lesson, the REAL lesson was ahead. Peter was human, he wavered and he lost his focus. Maybe it became a bit too much about HIM and what was happening and for a second there he took his eyes off the prize. Christ himself standing there.

He sank, he went from hero to zero in a second and it was going to be curtains for our Peter, but Jesus gave him a bigger blessing than any signs and wonders and being on top of the world could ever match. When Peter was drowning — immediately — as in that second — Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.

Wow.

You see, it’s not in the heady success, in the blaze of light that we are truly blessed, that we are truly defined, it’s when we are about to drown and Jesus reaches out and catches you. When we are rescued we know who we are, most importantly we get an idea of who Jesus is. Now that’s REALLY something.

PRAYER:

Lord let me remember to keep my eyes and my heart focused on you.

Let me walk on the water towards you but when I waver and sink like the human you made me.

Reach out your hand and catch me and as I hold on, let me too be held and feel the strength of your love and might of your arm.

And pull me up to stand beside you.

Amen