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| Essential 100 -- Treading Water | | Date Created: Apr 05, 2005, 06:23 AM |
62 — Tuesday April 5 — Matthew 14:22-36
How strange to be a disciple. Scared out of your mind one minute, the next with your Lord again; his special friends while other people clamber around for a glimpse -- a chance to touch the hem of the garment of the One who speaks to you by name. Mood swings are an occupational hazard of being a Christian, I guess. Poor old Peter.
The author of the E100 booklet tells us that he used to recite verse 27 "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." to himself when a particular problem overwhelmed him. Stuck in my pressures, I tend to reach points where I'm sinking. The words of Jesus then are less comforting: "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" (v. 31). Sometimes it's those I hear. For the problems I face are often of my own making. In the story, however, Jesus doesn't just say those words. He doesn't even say them first. First, he reaches out his hand and catches Peter and in the act of physically rescuing him says "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
He doesn't always do that -- the Bible doesn't promise it and it doesn't always happen that way with Peter. But I am to have learned with Peter that that's the kind of guy Jesus is and learn to trust him even when I can't feel the hand securely seize my arm. Eventually I'll be back in the boat, worshipping him (vv. 32-33). |
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