Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
The disciples were obeying Jesus, preceding him to the other side of the sea as he directed them. It was his directions, then, that caused them to be caught in difficult weather at a time of night when they would likely have preferred to be asleep. Was it merely an accident? No doubt they wondered. But they already knew how powerful he was. They had seen him heal diseases, knew that he had raised the dead. He had even calmed a storm once before (see Matthew 8:23-27).
It would have been tempting to begin to doubt when the situation became desperate, when the boat was being tossed about by the waves, moving against the wind in the fourth watch of the night. But Jesus had already planted a seed of faith. He demonstrated once already that he would not necessarily prevent the boat from encountering storms. Indeed, if storms were in the way, he would not hesitate on their account. Had he been with them in the boat this time they surely would have learned the lesson and turned to him with confidence so that he could do what he had done once already. But what now, when he was apparently absent? All they had, until he came to them, were the words of direction that told them to go this way.
Jesus did not prevent the storm, nor did he have them go around it or wait for better weather. They were to all appearances abandoned to the storm. Yet even there, even as they were being worn down by the effort of just staying afloat, they still had his words in which to trust. The words could give them confidence that they were going the right way, confidence that Jesus himself would somehow be there for them.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
Jesus came to them in their hour of need. He had not spared them the trial, but he did come to them at the moment he chose. Only because they had endured what they had endured could they now learn the lesson he came to demonstrate. Somehow they would be better for having endured the storm and receiving deliverance than they would have if they had remained in comfort.
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
There was something a little crazy about the request Peter made to Jesus. A more sane request would have been to calm the storm and join them in the boat. But the storm brought Peter to a place where he was ready to try things a new way, to trust Jesus on a different level than he had before.
At that hour, in that place, he was past the desire to play it safe. He was like a soldier with nothing to lose who was now ready to make a final charge on the enemy.
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
Peter had a brief moment in which he experienced being free from the need for self-preservation. Because, at that point, what could he do to save himself? In that moment he experienced the freedom of faith. It didn't last, but it was a start, an important milestone along his life journey.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
What was the lesson of this storm for the disciples and for for Peter in particular?
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”
The first time Jesus calmed the sea it was already a theophany, a revelation of his divinity. This moment on the sea of Gennesaret was a deepening of that lesson. It demonstrated he had not arrived to speak calm once and for all, but rather to be with his people as they faced the storms of life. He allowed such storms in order that we might trust him even then, to trust him even as radically as did Peter. He will continue to allow storms at least until they no longer faze us, until we can take steps of faith that would never be possible from the safety of dry land. And he may continue to allow storms thereafter. But so what? We will walk above them.
Our faith is weak, and storms often deeply unsettle us. But the Lord's rebuke is gentle, and he is always ready for us to try again. The results of our infidelity may even seem dire, as with Miriam and Aaron. But Jesus himself is our mediator now, between God and man. He himself pleads for mercy upon us and his Father will not refuse him.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not off from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
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