So much had happened before that point: they got the news of John the Baptist's death, then Jesus taught crowds of people all day and the disciples found themselves with the task of feeding fish and bread to thousands of people in a remote location. After that, while sailing back across the lake, they found themselves in a frightening storm... and suddenly they thought that they saw a ghost!
I don't know if they vaguely recognised Jesus walking towards them on the water and started to think that He was dead... or whether there was no recognition until He said to them, "Don't be afraid.... I am here." (vs 27)
Bereavement, tiredness, crisis, fear, uncertainty... this was the backdrop to Peter's walking on the water.
The story is well known: as long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was doing fine. More than fine, he was experiencing a miracle, something impossible. But when he focused on the wind and waves, he was terrified and began to sink.
As I read the story, it struck me that I have experienced some similar pressures this year:
- bereavement and other losses
- tiredness from moving house so often
- the crises of homelessness and illness
- uncertainty about the right decision and the right way forward
And amidst these "storm factors," I'm contemplating stepping out and buying a home! Walking on water... as home owning feels so uncertain and out of reach. Something within me is saying like Peter, "Is that really You, Lord?" (vs 28) And another part of me is intimidated by how little I know about the process of buying or owning a home.
But if I'm going to step "out of the boat,' I need to keep my eyes on Jesus and not on the circumstances. I need to activate my faith, I need to say, "Save me, Lord," and I need to keep worshipping Him (vs 33) for who He is.
