Have you ever had a realization that changed everything about how you saw something, a realization that brought hope to an uncertain outcome? Before the answer?
I delivered a message to my friends at the assisted living facility where my husband and I hold a church service one Sunday a month. The message was from Matthew 14, the story, the account of when Jesus (and Peter) walked on water.
Right before that happened Jesus fed thousands with just two fish and five loaves of bread! The Bible tells us in Mark 6:52 that they had misunderstood the miracle of the loaves because their hearts were hardened. Jesus Himself, God in the flesh, was their greatest need.
After this miracle, Jesus goes to pray alone, sending His disciples ahead in a boat to cross the sea.
Jesus walks out on the water toward them. They see Him and think He is a ghost. He calls to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
He was there; they need not be afraid.
Peter tells Jesus that if it really is Him then tell him to come to Him out on the water. Jesus tells Peter to come and he does – Peter walks on the water! Jesus is enough for Peter to be willing to risk everything in that moment, but then Peter saw the wind and his focus shifted to what was of lesser importance. He then became afraid and began to sink! He cried out to Jesus to save him.
Jesus immediately reaches out his hand and catches Peter. Jesus tells him his faith is little and asks him why he doubts.
Why do we doubt?
The thing that stood out to me this time when reading this is that Jesus told them all that He was there and to not be afraid before the situation changed. The only thing that changed was their awareness that He was there. His presence was enough. Before He calmed the wind and the waves, He told them to not be afraid. Before they knew what would happen next, He let them know they needn’t fear. The wind still raged, the night was still dark, the boat still heaved to and fro, but the fact that He was there meant they didn’t have to be afraid.
He doesn’t want us to be afraid.
One of the translations of Jesus’ words – be of good cheer – is – take courage or take heart. Imagine Jesus looking you in the eye and telling you to take heart. What a beautiful thing the way He showed up for His disciples in that moment – “Be of good cheer (take heart)! It is I; do not be afraid.”
Jesus stopped the wind. They marveled, this time, at Who He was – it was and is the most important thing.
Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:33.
