Focused on the Storm or the Savior?
Most people have heard about the miracle of how Jesus fed the five thousand with just a young boy’s lunch of five loaves and two fish. He gave thanks and then broke it apart…and apart, and He kept going until there was enough to feed over five thousand people…with leftovers collected afterward. If we were witnesses to that, we’d all likely be marveling for days afterward. The disciples were front row witnesses. Yet, despite that and all the other miracles they’d seen, their short term memory seemed fragile when they faced something scary, something out of their control.
That’s where we pick up our passage, Matthew 14:22-32. Watch how the disciples react and respond; take note of the underlined portions.
“Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.””
There are six things we can learn from this passage that can encourage us as we parent and pray.
First:
“and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.”
How many times do we feel buffeted and beat up by life because it seems everything is against us? Life is hard. Circumstances are painful. Other people are difficult. The wind of life is often working against us and we’re pushed back, pushed down and pushed to our limits….but, friends, Who is the maker of the wind? Our Lord and Savior Jesus…we need to remember that.
Second:
“they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.”
Remember, the disciples had just been with Jesus a short time before this happened. Yet they panicked. They suffered short term memory issues. They forgot that the Master of the Universe and the Lord of Creation was just a shout away…. We’re more like the disciples than we often care to admit. When we are afraid, we often default to panic and the immediate need to fix or control the situation. Instead, we need to call on the Savior.
Third:
“But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.””
Jesus sees our struggle. He understands our fear. He knows that we are mortal and fragile and we are overwhelmed and intimidated by things that are out of our control.
When our children feared something and cried out, we didn’t wait until they’d suffered an acceptable amount of time. We didn’t allow them to ‘tough it out’ to help them learn. No, we would quickly move to comfort and soothe them, tell them we were there with them and tell them there was no need to be afraid. Look at Jesus’ words above!! Isn’t that just like a Good Father?. God doesn’t wait until we’ve suffered long enough in our fear…He reassures us immediately. He reminds us that He’s there with us and He tells us we have nothing to fear.
Fourth:
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
Ah, Peter; don’t you just love impulsive, energetic, passionate Peter?! Take note of Peter’s first words….Lord, if it’s you…..
There was some doubt there and a bit of a challenge too. But Jesus didn’t reprimand him. Jesus didn’t ask Peter what his motives were. He didn’t ask him whether he was qualified. Jesus welcomed him. He knows our hearts. He sees our doubt and skepticism. He understands our fear and our mistrust. He sees that we want to believe, but our humanness gets in the way. Jesus welcomes us anyway. Step out and bring Him your doubt and fear. Go on.
Fifth:
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Peter took a few steps, then realized where he was and what He was doing….and he began to sink. Yet, instead of wringing his hands and wondering what on earth he should do, he cried out to Jesus.
He got it right. He didn’t try to solve it on his own. He didn’t tell the Lord to wait until he figured it out. He didn’t push away the hand that was there to save him, insistent he could do it himself. He cried out, “Lord save me!”
Here’s the thing, every time the disciples took their eyes off of Jesus and focused on the situation and circumstances surrounding them, they became doubtful and fearful. Peter saw the wind. He felt the waves. He looked down at the water instead of into the eyes of Jesus. He succumbed to the situation rather than surrendering to the Savior.
When circumstances start to pull us under, all we need to do is cry out to Jesus “Lord, save me!”
and then…
Sixth:
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
Jesus IMMEDIATELY reached out to save Peter. He reached out and caught him. He saved him. He rescued him, not because he deserved it or earned it, but because Jesus loved him.
When we’re praying for our loved ones, whether our sons and daughters, family members or those for whom we’re burdened, we can become overwhelmed with the circumstances and lose sight of the Savior. And when we do that, we begin to doubt Him, we question His goodness, we become impatient with His timing. We are uncertain of how He will answer and we start to lack confidence in His grace and mercy. We may even lose trust…but why? Because we’re looking at the circumstances and not the Savior.
Just to recap
The storm may be against us, but we serve the Lord of the wind and the waves
We can’t allow our fear to take the throne and control our responses. Let’s remind ourselves of the Lords power and faithfulness. He is able to calm the storm!
Jesus will always remind us that He’s with us, we have nothing to fear if we are trusting in Him.
Jesus sees our doubts. He loves us anyway and He’ll always welcome us to come to Him.
When we’re sinking, all we need to do is cry out for Jesus to save us. We don’t need to fix it ourselves.
Jesus responds to our cries! Always!
Do you feel like you’re drowning in a sea of circumstances? Call out to the Lord. Is your son or daughter in the midst of a storm? Call out to the Lord. Did you get a phone call, a text or a message that shook you? Call out to the Lord. He has a 100% response rate and His strength is unmatched. Trust Him. Let’s not lose sight of the Savior, friends.
“Father, You know this storm (go on, explain it to the Lord) But I know You are Lord of the wind and the waves. Help me to focus on You and not on the situation. Help me not to fear what might be, but be confident in what I know is True. You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Right now I want to pray for (name). You know their needs and their struggles. You see them in the midst of the storm and the wind that is carrying them away from You, from Your safety and refuge. I pray that You would go to (name), Lord. Meet them where they are. Make Yourself evident to (name) today. I pray that in the midst of their turmoil, fear and doubt that Your voice would be loud and clear “It is I, don’t be afraid”. Lord, calm (name)’s heart today and give them courage to trust You. Lord, if they are drowning in the storm, reach out and save them immediately. Draw (name)’s gaze to You. Encourage them with Your comfort, your Presence and Your reassurance. Jesus, they need You. I pray that they would see their need and, instead of trying to fix it themselves, they would cry out to You. I pray that You would stand in the midst of the storm with them and hold them close. Lord, hear their cry and answer immediately. I trust You and I know You can do more than I could ever ask or imagine. I pray that You would be Lord of the storm today and bring peace, calm and rescue. Bring (name) into safe fellowship with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Do you know someone who is struggling today? Why not share this post with them and encourage them to cry out to Jesus.
Pray without ceasing.