Faith in all places
This morning I went to my young adult group’s Sunday school class for the first time. There is something about communing with other believers that the Holy Spirit just loves. The word says, “When two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20). It was so edifying, and life giving. I encourage you if you are trying to grow in your faith or following Jesus in any capacity, get in fellowship with others. It doesn’t have to be many people, it doesn’t have to be in person, and it doesn’t have to be anything formal—just come. Read the word, talk about the faithfulness of God, declare what he has done and is showing you.
In Sunday school, they’ve been examining the life and character of Peter, one of the Lord’s closest disciples. This week we looked at Matthew 14: 22-23,
Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,”they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,”he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
The first thing I noticed was that the first thing Peter did when he began to sink was cry out to the Lord. He knew who to call and that Jesus was the only one who could save him. In that, in his cry for help, he displayed faith as well.
This was such an interesting revelation to me because we often hear this passage condemning Peter for his lack of faith, if only we could only be a little stronger in our faith we could experience incredible things.
While I agree with the fact that there is always more to experience in Christ, I think this prompted a different line of thought in our group.
If the crying out and the stepping out were both forms of faith, what was the difference, if any? Was there any hierarchy, was the faith to get out the boat of more value than the call of his name?
I don’t think so. A friend shared his thoughts, there was some difference. One was made out of choice and another out of desperation. How often do we find ourselves in that same situation?
This is life. This is faith. A wave, from big steps, to cries of desperation, from on top of the water, to sinking beneath. God is within it all. HE IS GOOD. HE IS CONSISTENT. HE IS THE FAITHFUL ONE.
Our lives are a series of highs and lows, yet God remains the same. We see this ebb and flow all throughout the Bible. What if your lows and falls are still filled with faith as you cry out to the Lord, the faithful one, the one who always was, is, and will be? What if we’re called to rejoice in the sinking? Look upon the one who saved then, and still saves now.
“Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
What if Jesus’s tone wasn’t in frustration but in gentle expectation? As he stretched out his hand, what if there was excitement and anticipation in his eyes? Peter..my son, look what you were doing! a slow smile Why did you doubt?
Beyond that, we are quick to think about what Peter missed out on by this falter in faith. Truly though, that moment marked his faith forever. He was the only one who got to walk on water with Jesus Christ. Instead of a source of shame, what if that miracle moment was meant to remind him of what he could do! Of where he could go with Jesus.
With Christ, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). Ask. Step. Sink. Cry. Call. Praise. Step again. Sink. Call. Embrace. Step.
This is the life that we are called to. This is the good news!
I prayed during this time that the Lord would make me unafraid of sinking. Even if we do, God is there. It’s a natural part of the wave. I’d rather step out and sink than stay in the boat.
Another friend brought this up:
None of the other disciples even thought about getting out of the boat. They saw Jesus, and waved him over, “Come on Jesus” come here to me, meet me where I am, where I have the safety of the boat beneath me. Peter went to Jesus. His impulse, compulsion to be with Jesus, to know him, was so fierce that he left the safety of the boat. Something steady and tangible beneath him to go where Jesus was, into the unknown. It’s more comfortable to call Jesus to meet us where we are instead of stepping out and going where Jesus is. Full dependence.
I dare you to step, I dare you to risk it all. I dare you to sink. There’s still faith there, it just looks different.
