Christian Comment
THE service at Crediton Methodist Church held on Sunday, August 13 was led by Pam Murphy with the theme “Walking on Water”.
The reading from Matthew was the story of Jesus walking on the water.
We are told that Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and go out on the lake.
He would not have done anything that was not in their best interests.
It soon became choppy and made headway tough for them.
Jesus spent time on shore alone in prayer and around 3am He set out walking on the water towards the disciples’ boat.
Pam showed a photo of an origami boat she had made.
Imagine we were in a small wooden boat like the disciples, with the winds buffeting the boat.
Pam could not imagine what it would have been like in a small wooden boat although she had been on a channel ferry crossing in bad weather.
The ship was rolling back and forth but she felt quite safe in such a sturdy ship with an experienced crew in charge.
She would have felt worried in a small wooden boat.
It was very dark and the disciples would have been tired and anxious and would not have expected to see someone walking on the water towards them.
This was something outside their human experience and not natural.
They were terrified and cried out in fear.
The disciples were specially chosen ordinary men who had been sent out by Jesus and seeing what they thought was a ghostly apparition they were terrified.
Immediately Jesus was there by the boat calming their fears saying “Take courage, it is I”.
Peter said: “If it is you, tell me to come on the water”.
Jesus just said: “Come.”
Peter stepped out of the boat and started walking on the water towards Jesus until he got distracted by the conditions and his focus on Jesus waned.
He started to sink and cried out “Lord save me”.
Jesus brought peace and said: “Do not be afraid”.
Pam invited us to bring things about which we might be anxious and let Jesus calm our fears and give us a sense of peace.
For us all whether we are among life’s risk takers like the impetuous Peter or like the 11 disciples who stayed in the boat, Jesus is with us always.
With life’s ups and downs there are always times when we are going to be buffeted by the more difficult things with which we have to cope.
Jesus does not make them disappear.
Life’s struggles can often help to define our personality and help us become more fully who we are meant to be.
Pam quoted a Christian writer saying if there is a miracle in this story it is not that Jesus walked on water.
It is not that Peter also walked on water for a moment or two.
No, the miracle is that somehow in the midst of humble surroundings in the boat, the disciples realised that no-one less than God’s own son was standing right in front of them.
So, they worshiped Him and believed.
The news that, with God-given courage we can draw on in difficult times, each of us can focus on Jesus our Lord and Saviour.
If and when our focus slips like it did for Peter, He will reach out and save us. We just need to listen to Jesus’ words “Do not be afraid”.
Just like those disciples, in His wonderful presence let us worship and believe.
Bronwyn Nott