Nov 9 2019 Matthew 14:22-36

So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus.

The disciples are in the boat. There’s a storm. They’re afraid. Jesus walks on the water to get to them. They’re afraid. He repeats his most-oft phrase “do not be afraid”, to which Peter responds by getting out of the boat to meet him, on the water. But Peter realizes he’s on the water and there’s a storm, and gets afraid. He starts to fall. Jesus reaches out his hand, catches him and they return to the boat, and the winds ceased.

This is such a great and human illustration of faith. Of course the disciples were afraid. Being in a storm on a fishing boat 2000 years ago must have been terrifying. Seeing Jesus walk on the water to them equally terrifying. But there’s Peter stepping out in faith.

And of course, once he got out on the water, and realized what he’d done, it was terrifying. And Jesus reaches out, saves him and calms the seas. 

I feel like I’m often on a small boat at sea. I relish when I remember Jesus’ words, do not be afraid. I try to be the one to step out of the boat, in faith. I’m often the one who, having done so, get frightened and start sinking. I try to be the one to remember I’m not alone, call out to God, and am made safe once again. I’m happy when the storms seem calmed. In this story, there are identifiable and nearly discrete stages 1) tossed by storm 2) recognize Jesus, but frightened as he approaches 3) calmness in his “do not be afraid” 4) willingness to step out in faith 5) faltering, as doubts reemerge 6) saved by Jesus again 7) things calm down.

In the past week, I’ve experienced many things that feel like huge and frightful loss. A lovely woman died after falling down some stairs at church, hitting her head, and never regaining consciousness. A friend is battling with currently unknown but possibly frightening illness. My loved one continues to get sicker, as she refuses to take medicine.

It’s easy to lump all of this, plus everything else going on in my world as if it’s all in stage 1, the storm is surging. But actually that’s not true. In some of these challenges, I’ve already heard Jesus’ calming words. Others I’ve stepped out. Some I’m flailing on the water. In some places, Jesus has calmed my seas.

It does God a disservice to lump all of my problems at the starting line of this story. I’m not facing all things from the same place. I have already heard Jesus calming words in some areas, and in many, I’ve believed. Some others, I continue to fret.

This morning I’m thinking about how there’s a journey that we travel through our life of faith. But in each area of our life, we’re in a different place on that journey. Sometimes we really are at the first, boat rocking place. When the news come of a new illness, or crisis. But sometimes we’re further along the path. We’ve actually already reached out and received the words, “do not be afraid”. None of the places are better or worse, but it’s helpful, I think to remember that one new problem doesn’t really put everything back at the storm-rocked boat. Today, I want to take stock of all the areas where I’ve already re-entered the boat, and the seas are calm, and remember that’s where the journeyalways ends.