part 2 of "The Storm" series
The second storm I want to take a look at is a little different. There are some things that are the same. For example, the disciples are the same and the boat is the same (well at least there is a boat in this story too). This story also starts with them crossing the Sea of Galilee and there is storm that comes up. Jesus also handles the storm a little bit differently as well.
"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." [1]
So while this storm was going on, Jesus appears out of the wind and rain - walking on the water toward the boat. The disciples having never seen something like this before become afraid and think it's a ghost – as I am sure that we all would. But Jesus calls out to them and tells them to not be afraid "It is I". [1]
So Peter yells out, to the person claiming to be Jesus, because he is still unsure:
"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. [1]
Jesus didn't calm the storm in this case. He just called Peter to come to Him and Peter, with his eyes on Jesus, walked on the stormy waters toward Jesus. But then, Peter changed his focus point from Jesus to the storm:
"But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” [1]
Peter became overwhelmed by the situation he was in – as we all do when we change our focus point from Jesus to the storm that we are in. When we change our focus to our situation, like Peter, we begin to sink into it. It becomes our focus point instead of Jesus. But the amazing thing is what happens next!
"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." [1]
Jesus is still there!
He was there to rescue Peter from the waters he was sinking into. The same goes for us. Jesus doesn't leave because our focus changes. He is right there with us. He is guiding us through the storm. He is there reaching out His mighty hand to save us from the water. This storm story tells us that Jesus doesn't always calm the storms of life - He walks through them with us instead. Because even though it rains and storms - Jesus still reigns in the storm! [2]
As with anything, what we give our focus to will eventually be what think about. It is the focus point. If we focus on the storm, then the storm is all that we are going to see. But if we look through the wind and rain of the storm that we are in and lock our focus on Jesus – He will be our focus point. In the storms of life, we need to keep our eyes up and focus point needs to be Jesus or we will drown in the storm.
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[1] Matthew 14:22-32 NIV
[2] adapted from a quote by Perry Noble
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