Picture your life as a boat, and at times it gets a little shaky, un-easy. You don’t know where to go, it’s dark at times. You hear nothing, all is quiet except the wind and waves that are crashing up against you. You have been struggling for some time now and all you want to see is dry land.
We are all on a journey known as life. Some use road maps to tell them where to go, other words their instinct, feelings might tell them that they need to lean on their own understanding. But we choose for the ones who have been enlightened by the Word of God and having Him as our lighthouse to look to Him for guidance, and strength. We walk by faith and not by sight, rather than walking by sight and not by faith. But is it this easy?
Let’s take a look at Matthew 14:22
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him,“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying,“Truly you are the Son of God.” (ESV)
The first question I have is that why did Jesus, “immediately” “made” the disciples get into the boat in such a hurry.
1. The excitement of the disciples and the of the crowd could have spurred into the initiation of the Messiah, but yet it was not that time yet
2. He wanted to pray – after a miracle of feeding the multitude who wouldn’t want to come before the father and thank him?
Jesus told them that He would meet them on the other side…
The disciples were thinking, “where are you going,” “why are you leaving us here all alone”. Same thought comes to mind that whenever a trial or situation arises, the boat starts shaking, the wind tossing our life around we start asking God where are you?
– I can imagine the thoughts of what happened to them last time while they were in the lake (Luke 8) But Jesus was with them asleep, so why did it matter this time?
Luke 8:22 ” Let us cross over to the other side of the lake, He wasn’t saying “Let us perish”
Jesus keeps His word, all of His words are promises but we have to activate those promises by walking in faith even when the worst of the worst becomes visible.
Your life is in His hands, you are not the captain, He is the captain. He will show you the way through this journey called life.
What happens when you become captain?
– Self fails
– Lost direction
– follow feelings
– exhausted
It is like the disciples had forgot about the words before they left shore ” I will go before you and meet you on the other side”
It’s during these times that our faith becomes strengthened if we let him…
James 1
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
It would have been more beneficial for the disciples to cry out to Jesus instead of rowing against the waves.
How many times have you tried to fix the problem rather than asking Jesus for help?
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