Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’

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, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. After the people of that place recognized him, they sent word throughout the region and brought all who were sick to him, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

- Matthew 14:22-36

Yesterday we read of the great miracle of the loaves and the fishes. Today we come to another astounding miracle here in the middle of Matthew's gospel: Jesus walks on the water. There is the revelation here of dominion over nature, a sign of his divine nature as Messiah.

I think that the details of this story are very interesting. In the first place, after giving so much of himself, and so much sustenance to others in the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus withdraws. He goes up the mountain by himself to pray. He even sends away the disciples. Jesus has told the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side. In all of these stories of his ministry so far in this gospel, Jesus has made various attempts to be somewhat less public - to go into a home, to send out his apostles in his place on their first mission - but never alone. This story very specifically says that he withdrew to be alone to pray, and sent away both the crowds and his disciples.

So, the disciples are on their own. But by the time it is night and dark, they are still on the water and having a hard time. The wind and waves drive against them, the boat is far from the land. Finally, early in the morning, Jesus comes walking toward them. The translation in my study bible (New King James Version) says that it is in the fourth watch when Jesus comes to them in the boat. The fourth watch is between 3 AM and sunrise. So the disciples have been in this boat pushed by the wind and waves all night.

Seeing Jesus approach, they're terrified and assume they're seeing a ghost! Jesus tells them, 'Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.' One cannot help but feel how comforting these words are. Isn't this the answer to all prayers that we hope for? Just to know that He is there? 'Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid' is one of the greatest messages that we can receive. We are told to take heart and be of good courage, we are told of His presence with us, and we are told not to fear. This great message in one small sentence is a gift for handling the difficulties of life if we could but remember to take these three things with us through all troubles.

Peter, however, being the person he is, and always full of his own exuberance of expression - no matter what he is feeling - takes it a step further. ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ Jesus' reply is the simplest there is: 'Come.' My study bible notes: "Come is the call of Christ in the midst of turmoil." He encourages us to take steps toward him in faith, no matter what the situation. In some sense, we can see this as a fledgling beginning of Peter's great future as the apostle he will become in faith.

Peter becomes frightened, and begins to sink. He cries out, ‘Lord, save me!’ There is a lesson here about what fright can do to us, despite our best intentions, in any difficult situation. Nobody has to walk on water to prove their faith! But in the context of the story, we can see what fear does - how it harms our faith, breaks our resolve. We may quite literally sink under our emotions by giving in to fear or by letting it rule our lives. "Lord, save me" is the shortest prayer in the bible, but a very effective one. The Jesus prayer, or "Lord have mercy" and its various forms are basically the same prayer.

Jesus reaches out and catches Peter, just as Peter starts to sink. ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ I have many occasions where the same thing could be said to me. My prayer life so often is like a conscience I don't follow, thinking that my faith is somehow not prudent or rational. And yet, the truth to be found there in my experience - such a potent truth that so often bluntly unveils what we love to soften for ourselves - is always just that in the end. It is what is real, what is seen with eyes opened to the light of love. That means, often, I find, that I also see what is not love.

"When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’ " Once the great drama and tribulation are over, the test of faith is over and they are back in the boat, the wind ceased. It is faith itself on display here, somehow. The waters and wind we can all take for the storms of life and the stormy nature of our emotions that are stirred up in difficulties - when everything seems to be against us. To conquer nature is a miracle. To conquer our own stormy nature, the call of spiritual life. Faith is the great help we have to get us through the difficulties of life, to help us make good decisions, and not to be overruled by fear. While our emotions will always be a part of our natures, it is a process of having faith that helps us not to be ruled by them - or worse, driven into shipwreck and worse difficulties. May you always be blessed with faith to follow the voice of Christ that says, "Come." And the knowledge that he is there and gives you courage - or better, heart - to get through it.