Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
We've probably all had the experience of facing difficulties without the presence of Jesus apparently anywhere close to help us. Sometimes it is precisely because of our fidelity to him that we find ourselves in such situations, as with the disciples who listened to him, got into the boat, and then encountered the storm. Whether or not we blame Jesus for the predicament occurring in the first place we do tend to accuse him for his absence. Could he not have sent us another way, or been with us to help if facing such a storm was necessary? When Jesus is not with us in the storm it naturally seems to us as though he is aloof and therefore probably indifferent. But his disciples were never far from his thoughts. And neither are we.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
It was not easy for his disciples to recognize Jesus at night amidst the waves and the wind. He still looked like himself, but without the light they were unable to perceive him clearly. The way he was exercising his power was something that was more fearful than familiar. He seemed, perhaps, like a part of the storm, an element of nature. His disciples were more ready to identify him as a ghost than as the friend they knew. The things that ultimately let them identify him as Jesus were the sound of his voice and the words he spoke. So too for us in our own storms. His words can be an anchor for us as well.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
What exactly went into the response of Peter? We can imagine many possible responses we might make in such a situations, but the one which Peter made is probably nearer to the bottom of our list. But was the boldness and courage of Peter simply a response to being charged by the energy of the theophany he witnessed? Maybe asking Jesus into our boat, pleading with him to calm the storm, is more of a human response. Maybe absolute faith would drive us closer to Jesus even if it meant sacrificing such comfort and protection as we had.
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,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
The trouble with motivations such as that which made Peter leave the comfort of the boat is what happened once he was out of the boat. It seemed like a good idea to Peter until he had a firsthand experience of the strong wind without the protection of the boat. The visceral forces of reality quickly impinged on the consolations his faith provided. However, since his impulse had been correct (which was why Jesus told him to honor it and come to him) he did not drown. Jesus was there to save him. And although the initial situation was difficult, although he experienced failure in his attempt to respond, we can only imagine that he came away from the ordeal with greater faith in the identity of Jesus and greater confidence and ability to trust his plans for him.
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 storm died down once the lesson it was meant to impart was learned. We must acknowledge that there are lessons that can only be learned during times of trial and amidst the storms of life. We know this, and yet we may never have experienced such a clear revelation of the identity of Jesus as Peter did. Why might this be? Is it because during difficult times we don't cling to the words of Jesus as his disciples did? Is it because when we see someone who might be Jesus emerging from the darkness we run in fear, assuming it is a ghost? If we want to experience Jesus during the storm we need to be willing to watch for his coming. If we close down and deaden our awareness we may survive, yes, but we won't witness the way we he intervenes to save us. When we do experience Jesus in the storms we may be inspired to act boldly for his sake. If so, and if he gives his permission, we should honor these impulses. Even a failure at this step does not negate the value of the attempt. Each time we experience the hand of Jesus pulling us from the water will add to our confidence and our ability to follow him in the future.
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