Tossed by the Waves- Jesus Walks on Water
In Matthew 14, we learn that Jesus walks on water, much to the amazement of his disciples. Peter, ever the adventurous one, tries to walk with his Master, but starts to sink once he takes his eyes off the Lord. Steph Nickel reminds us that when we too are being “tossed by the waves”, it’s important to focus on God. He alone will save us from the stormy seas in our lives.
Jesus Walks On Water
Matthew 14:22-27 says,
“Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, ‘It is a ghost!’ and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.’”
Matthew 14:22-27
After Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been beheaded, He sought to get away to spend time with His Father, but the crowds found out where He had gone and followed Him. In His love and compassion, He met their physical needs then sent them on their way.
He still needed to spend time in prayer. So He didn’t climb into the boat with His disciples when He sent them on their way—not at first anyway.
After He spent time in prayer, Jesus headed out to meet His disciples. By this time, these men were far from land, being buffeted by the wind and waves. This would be scary enough in the daytime, but it wasn’t daytime. In fact, Jesus came walking toward them on the water during the fourth watch of the night, sometime after 3:00 in the morning. Who knows how long they had been fighting the storm?
Peter Walks on Water
It’s no wonder they thought Jesus was a ghost coming. After all, no-one could walk on the water—or could they?
Peter, Jesus’ particularly eager disciple, was willing to give it a try. We read about it in verses 28-30:
“And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’”
Matthew 14:28-30
Jesus Saves Peter
And Jesus’ response? In verses 31-32, we read,
“Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.”
Matthew 14:31-32
The other disciples now knew it was Jesus, and they also learned something else. Verse 33 says,
“And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’”
Matthew 14:33
Tossed By The Waves
These men had not only been tossed by the waves of the sea; they’d also experienced extreme emotional ups and downs. They left what was familiar to follow Jesus. He healed the sick, cast out demons, and raised the dead. He even shared His power with them.
They walked for miles and miles and miles. Crowds pressed in on every side. They grew tired and hungry. The religious authorities often spoke out against their Master and threatened those who dare become His follower. What a ride!
I’m pretty sure after being tossed around by a raging storm in which I feared for my life, I wouldn’t recognize Jesus right away either, especially if He was walking toward me on those very waves that threatened to capsize my boat.
At least Peter was willing to test the waters—literally. But then he did what so many of us do in life’s storms: He looked at the waves. And down he went. He sank like a stone.
And yes, Jesus said, “O you of little faith,” but He didn’t leave His disciple to flounder. He reached down, lifted Him up, and got into the boat—and then the storm stopped. Wow!
Focus On God When Times Are Rough
So what can we learn from this passage? What can we teach our children?
Jesus met the needs of others even when He was hurting. In His strength, we can do the same.
He didn’t use this as an excuse not to spend time with His Father. In fact, it was a higher priority than sleep. While rest is a gift from God, there are times the better option is to spend time in prayer, pouring out our heart to the Lord.
The storms didn’t stop Jesus from accomplishing what He had come to do. While we won’t likely walk on the water, because of our relationship with Him, we may find ourselves walking above our circumstances, those things that, without Him, would overwhelm and threaten to drown us.
Focus On God And He Will Save You
Even when we take our eyes off the Lord and focus on the storms of life, He is there to pluck us out of the water and, in His time, calm the storms. Even if the storms still rage, we can find peace in Him and an awareness that He really is the Son of God.
If we talk about this passage with our children, it is important to discuss how it applies to day-to-day life. We all face the darkness, wind, and waves to one extent or another. How amazing to realize the Lord is willing and able to calm our heart and mind, even if our circumstance doesn’t change!
What do you think it means to follow Jesus? Contact us– we’d love to hear from you!
Steph Nickel
Steph Beth Nickel is eclectically interested and eclectically involved. In all she does, Steph seeks to nurture and inspire.
She is currently working on the first book in a nonfiction series. Nurture and Inspire LOVE is a compilation of the first devotionals she wrote for HopeStreamRadio.
Steph is a freelance writer and editor. She is the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’ award-winning memoir, Living Beyond My Circumstances, published by Castle Quay Books. Deb and Steph are working on a follow-up book.
You can visit her website, stephbethnickel.com, to learn more about her.
Visit Steph’s contributor’s page or at Steph Nickel’s Eclectic Interests.
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