“Help, I’m sinking!”  Have you ever felt like that?  Peter did.  He is with his friends in their fishing boat when a storm blows across the lake.  They see someone coming towards them in the darkness and think it is a ghost.

 

As soon as Peter realizes who it is, he calls out.  “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.”  At that moment Peter isn’t being logical.  He is led by his heart.  Why didn’t Jesus say, “Just wait, I’m coming to you?”  I believe Jesus is delighted when we want to come to him.

 

There is a valuable lesson we can learn about faith here.  Faith may seem foolish and irrational, but true faith is based on a word from Jesus.  Peter says, “if you tell me.”  Jesus replies, “Come.” 

 

Sometimes we don’t recognize Jesus when he comes!  Perhaps you have been in a difficult situation and cried out for help, but the way God answers is not what you expected.

 

That is what happened to the disciples in Matthew 14.  They are rowing across the lake after a marvelous time with Jesus on the mountain.  In fact Jesus had told them to go!  Now though, it is dark, a strong wind is blowing and they are battling the waves.

 

Suddenly they see someone, something, moving across the water.  They are terrified.  Was it a ghost?  They didn’t realize it was Jesus.  Instead fear filled their hearts.  Fear blocks us from seeing clearly.  It paralyzes us.  And it cancels out faith.

Have you ever hiked in the mountains?  It’s not just mountains, but valleys too!  Life is like that.  Often in the valleys though, we wonder where God is.

 

Jesus and his disciples are on the mountainside.  Wonderful miracles are taking place.  More than five thousand people are fed and many healed.  However, Jesus now tells his disciples to get into their boat, and cross the lake.  The word used in the original language of the Bible is strong.  It says, Jesus compelled them to leave!

 

So the disciples are doing exactly what Jesus tells them, but as they row across the sea, the wind suddenly picks up.  Waves batter the boat.  Hour after hour they struggle.