O you of little faith, why did you doubt?

Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."

And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."

When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

- Matthew 14:22-36

In yesterday's reading, Jesus had withdrawn into a deserted place after hearing about John's death at the hands of Herod Antipas. He has also understood that Herod fears that Jesus is John returned, because Herod has now heard the reports of Jesus' ministry and the power expressed through Him. Despite His withdrawal, the multitudes followed Him on foot from the cities. Moved with compassion, He healed their sick. When evening came, the disciples wanted to send the people away, so that they could get food. But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." Jesus said, "Bring them here to Me." Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave them to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Jesus carries out His earlier plans, for withdrawal and prayer. His ministry seemingly has entered a new phase with the news that Herod has beheaded John and also fears Jesus, and it is time for prayer with the Father. He sends His disciples back to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, and He remains in the deserted place, in which He has fed five thousand men, and yet more women and children. At all crucial points in His ministry, Jesus will turn to prayer with the Father. Throughout His ministry, it is obedience and love of the Father that will characterize His direction and plans.

But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. My study bible points out that this scene gives us an understanding of Christ's power, that He has dominion over nature. The fourth watch is about three o'clock in the morning.

And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." My study bible says, "In saying to the disciples, be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid, He is also assuring us He will be with His people in the midst of the storms of life." So, we gather that a traditional way to view this scene is to understand what it is to be storm-tossed in our hearts, and in turmoil, and afraid. Sometimes the thing we need the most may be what we are most afraid of. I don't find this at all unusual; Christ will come to us in ways we don't expect, perhaps in forms that we need to "turn around" to really receive and know and understand. Repentance - change of mind - often accompanies recovery from trauma of any kind. It is another form of healing; hence, His words: "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."

And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" While this story is found in other Gospels, it is here in Matthew that we are given another glimpse of the exuberant and emotional character of Peter, who has been renamed "Rock" by Jesus. He makes a request, and Christ tells him, "Come." My study bible notes: "Come is the call of Christ in the midst of turmoil." "O you of little faith" tells us something about faith itself: that it can reach to depths in us, can always be increased, like a well or pool of grace. And this is where our powerful relationship with Christ comes in, through the turmoils we face in life, and our reliance on our life with Him and in Him. It takes courage to have great faith, but our experience is rewarded with a peace that surpasses understanding.

And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God." These apostles, who, as we know, number among themselves experienced fishermen (including Peter), are in awe at the taming of the sea, the power of Christ over wind and waves and water. Christ here is clearly the Logos of John's Gospel, the One who puts order into all things, who can even subdue nature.

When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well. Our reading today is framed by stories of healing, making it clear that in all ways, Christ heals, His ministry is for healing. Addressing Peter's fears - and our own - in the midst of turmoil is healing. Addressing our "little faith" is also healing. Touching Christ's hem reminds us of the healing of the woman with the years-long blood flow, echoing the power of healing even when we are desperate and hopeless. We remember that He also said to her, "Be of good cheer." His words to her also emphasized the power of her faith in healing.

So, when we are in the midst of turmoil, we can think of Christ as shelter and refuge. Oftentimes I find that it is an immature faith that can't accept the ways in which Christ answers our prayers. This isn't an easy task, by any means. Simon is renamed Peter, "Rock" (Petros in the Greek), for a reason. It often takes great courage to face the real answers to prayers, the things that expose our underlying weaknesses and seek to address them, always giving us something to grow into, the image that Christ has of us and what we can be. One thing we can be sure of: if the world seemingly fails to understand the value that is in you, Christ will not. In His call to "Come" - even if we, like Peter, may be testing ourselves in some sense - is always an answer that calls us to deeper faith, deeper recognition of what we can be in God's plan, how He finds great value in us. In that sense, then, the "little faith" means that we fail to grasp our own significance in His sight, the things He may have in mind for us. I wrote earlier, above, that healing from any trauma may involve repentance, a "change of mind." In Christ's vision of us, when we are on those stormy seas, lies a promise in the change of mind. He understand who we can be, and sometimes through our own fears and assumptions, we resist the very thing we need to do, the change we need to make to be healed. What repentance do you need to make for His healing today? How has your faith been tested? How does He call you grow and deepen that relationship you have in Him?