Aug 2 - Fear That Becomes Faith -- And Vice-Versa

Read Matthew 14:22-33

Context: John the Baptist has just been beheaded by Herod, and Jesus took a boat to a private place when he heard the news. A large crowd followed him, and he had compassion -- healing and speaking with them, and feeding them all with five loaves and two fish.

Text:
22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but the boat was already a considerable distance[a] from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
27But 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. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." (NIV)

Footnotes:
Matthew 14:24 Greek many stadia
taken from www.biblegateway.com

Peter has always been one of my favorite Biblical leaders. He said what he thought and he often unintentionally provided great lessons for us.

This story, however, seems to be the one that most mirrors real life...not because we can walk on water, but because of the progression of faith. Often we don't really see Jesus until we are in the middle of a storm, and his visible presence gives us the faith to move forward -- even to do things we aren't sure we can do. But once we take our eyes off of him and remember the trials we are in the midst of, we falter and fail despite the tangible evidence of his support.

But in that failing, we cry out to him and he is right there, pulling us back up.

Would Peter's faith have been stronger if he'd never looked away from Jesus? Knowing what we do about him, most likely he would have bragged about 'his' great feat. The reminder of his humanity gave him a wet lesson he would always remember...and probably laughed about in years to come.