Mad Enough To Walk On Water ! Part One

From FSAOF.blogspot.com:

Is there anything in the world that you would never, ever do and yet would love to do?

For example, when I lived in Surrey my house was on a hill and from my living room window, during the summer months I would often see hot air balloons rising up into the sky and floating across till out of view.  I used to sit there watching, thinking; ‘I would so love to do that’ to go up in one of those balloons and glide across the sky.  I’d love to do it but will never do it!  Why?  Not because of the expense.  Not because of lack of time. But simply because, I am petrified of heights.  Therefore it seems to me that to take time out and spend lots of money on a hot air balloon ride would be utter madness because I would not see a thing.  I would be crouched down on the floor of the basket with my head between my knees, breathing deeply, whilst holding on to someone’s ankles for dear life!

Is there anything you would love to do but will never ever do?

Peter although a strong, fit fisherman, was not, as far as I am aware, something of an extreme sports fanatic.  But we all know that Peter did something that he had never done before and would probably never do again.  For one mad moment, one dizzy, crazy, exciting moment, Peter walked on water – in the middle of a storm, with waves crashing, washing over the side of the boat.  He walked on water!  He did what his head was telling him was the most reckless, crazy thing to do.   Peter was mad enough to walk on water.  And from this picture, this story, we constantly have much to learn.

This is a picture of peril at sea.  I love a great storm! When I lived on the Isle of Wight I used to go down to the pier head on a windy day and watch the waves crashing over the rocks.  But I wouldn’t have wanted to be sat on the rocks; I liked wave watching from a comfortable distance.  I love a big thunder storm –  if I’m tucked up in bed with the duvet wrapped round me and I have a big mug of hot chocolate in my hand (preferably with marshmallows on top!!)  I wouldn’t be so pleased to be caught outside in it though.

The disciples didn’t have the choice of being on the shore watching the waves or tucked up in the bed listening to the thunder.  They were right out there in the thick of it all.  They know that they are in real danger…

And do you know why they are in such peril?  Why they are in a boat, out on the lake, in the middle of a violent storm?  Because Jesus placed them there! After a remarkable day of teaching and the most incredible miracles – 5000 people fed with one lad’s packed lunch.

After the most incredible day we read, ‘Jesus made the disciples get into the boat.  These men are doing the will of their master.  They are obeying Christ, taking him at his word and in doing so they now find themselves straining at the oars with the boat being tossed about by every wind that blows.

Yet the psalmist says that, ‘he makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.’
That makes more sense – doesn’t it?!  That’s what we have come to expect from God.  So what has gone wrong with this picture in Matthew 14?  Why would Jesus send out his disciples to where no one wants to be?

The truth is that the quiet waters and the green pastures spoken of in Psalm 23, are within us.  Our love for God.  Our trust in God.  Our faith in God brings with it an inner peace that comforts us despite that which might be going on externally.

And the truth is this, yes the men are being obedient to Christ.  Yes, they have gone and done exactly what he has asked them to do.  And now, while being in the centre of Christ’s will they are being tossed about by this sudden, violent storm.

Sometimes doing the will of God isn’t easy for us.  Sometimes we wonder what on earth is going on.  And sometime in the middle of the storm rather than being tucked up in bed with our hot chocolates, sometimes through the struggling at the oars of our boat we learn something valuable and we grow.  We don’t capsize.  We don’t get swept away out to sea.  Because Jesus, who places us where we are (outside comfort zones), is on the shore watching over us.  And then, just when it all seems too much – there He is, beside us.  The quiet waters and the green pastures are within us, despite the storms around us!

Major Sheila Loman
Birkenhead Corps UKT