Walking on the Water
Matthew 14 records the miracle of Jesus’ feeding the five thousand. His disciples had said to him that the people were hungry. They wanted Jesus to dismiss the multitude so that they could go into town to eat. The disciples had not yet understood who Jesus was and the power he had at his command. Jesus told his disciples that they needed to feed the people. After Jesus had performed the miracle by feeding the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fishes, Jesus sent the crowds away and went alone to pray.
Jesus told the disciples to take the boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. In the middle of the night Jesus was walking on the water and the disciples who were in the boat saw him thinking it was a ghost. They were terrified. Jesus said to them, “Be of good cheer, It is I, be not afraid.”
In John 6 is the account of another miracle that Jesus performed. He was asleep in the boat when a storm arose. The disciples were terrified and thought the boat would sink. When they woke Jesus in their panic he said to them, “O ye of little faith.” Then he said, “Peace be still.” Immediately the wind and waves ceased. They marveled and said, “Who is this that even the wind and waves obey him.” You can’t have peace until you have the Prince of peace. Part of peace means, “capable of harmonious coexistence.” When the winds and waves of life are unsettled, can you trust the Lord Jesus Christ to come to him and walk on the water? Can the God who created the universe and set the stars and planets in motion according to his word overcome the little crisis in you life?
According to 1 Corinthians 3, the Apostle Paul said, “I could not speak to you as grown men because you still need milk instead of meat. You are walking like mere ordinary men when you should be walking according to the spirit of God in Christ in you.”
We have been indoctrinated into the world’s man-code. This man code says that we can’t appear needy and incapable of making it on our own. This man code says that if you’re working for the ministry of the church, you should be ashamed to ask the congregation to give into the offering plate. However, in giving the congregation will be blessed. Jesus said, “it is better to give than to receive..” When Pete accepted a salaried position, his wife Suzan said, “I’m disappointed that we no longer need to believe God to meet our needs.” Pete was humbled and convicted by his wife’s remark. He was thankful for his wife’s level of pure believing her for Lord to meet their needs.
The most frequent command in the scripture is, “fear not.” The antidote to fear is pure believing faith according to the the Word of God. If there were ever a time for men to come to Jesus “walking on the water,” now is the time. God’s men are not confused about their life mission. They are willing to take a risk by walking out on faith according to the promises of God. Our Lord has called us to do the impossible in obedience to his command. He has called us to live in the eye of the storm and ask him without doubting. For he who doubts is like a man who is tossed about by the waves of the sea, for a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Jesus had a heart of compassion. However, he has called men of God that they might have life and have it more abundantly. The abundant life is a life lived according to the fruit of the spirit…a life filled with love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self control.
After a church service, one person came up to Pete and said, “I believe God has called us to “make America great again.” Pete’s response was, “What if God hasn’t called us to make America great again? What if God has a different plan. Would you still honor and serve him?” Oswald Chambers said, “God requires extreme obedience with no complaining or questioning on our part and no explanation on his.”
Jesus has called us to live in the midst of troubled waters. The wind is fiercely blowing and the waves are crashing. You have no control over the storms of this life. God calls us and allows crises to confront us. These are challenges to turn away from the wind and the waves to focus our eyes on Jesus Christ himself. Like he said to Peter, “Come walk with me.” When we sink, this is our opportunity to cry out to our Lord, “save me!” Not in my strength, but in his strength alone. We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael