Miraculous Power and Love – Matthew 14

A text – Matthew 14:22-33

14:22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
14:23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
14:24 but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them.
14:25 And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea.
14:26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear.
14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
14:28 Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
14:29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.
14:30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
14:31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
14:32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
14:33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

A reflection:

In this little story, Jesus sends the disciples ahead by boat to their next place for his ministry. He stays behind, alone, to pray. The weather was windy, stormy, and the disciples in the boat had a hard time getting where they wanted to go. In the wee hours of the morning they were still at it, battered by the winds. Jesus came to them, walking toward them as he aways had done. But this time it was over the sea. The disciples would have loved for it to be Jesus, but the only things they knew who could pass over land or sea in such a way were ghosts. They saw someone coming over the water and just knew it was a ghost.

When Jesus called out, all of them who heard his voice surely recognized it, but Peter was the one who reacted, creating this test. “If it’s you, command me to come to you on the water.” What was he thinking? Really? Was he doing this to calm the fears of the others? Was it to participate in the amazing and miraculous actions of Jesus? Was it to experience the power of the Lord for himself, in his own body? Whatever his reason, it was bold and risky. And Jesus responded, “Come.”

Peter got out and started walking on the water, straight toward Jesus. He actually did it. He was participating in the power of God in his own body, by faith. He was getting very close to Jesus when suddenly he felt fear – the wind, the waves, the illogic of it, perhaps – and he began to sink. Jesus immediately reached out his hand and pulled Peter up.

Does this story (which so many find impossible to believe) have anything to teach us in the 21^st century? What does Peter’s relationship with Jesus have to do with it? What do the hundreds of healings Peter must have witnessed before this have to do with it? What does the provision of bread and fish for 5,000 people just prior to this moment have to do with it? Jesus’s miraculous power and love had provided for thousands. And just for a second, while Peter was walking upon the water, during this amazing act, where Peter himself was participating bodily in Jesus’s power, Peter doubted that Jesus’s powerful love was really for him. He faltered for an instant and began to sink, crying out “Lord, save me.” That very second, IMMEDIATELY, Jesus reached out his hand and caught Peter. This act of God was for him. For his body. For his saving.

On our worst days we will surely fear that the miracles of God are not for us. But they are. Just call out. Believe that God is God, and believe that God loves you. Exactly you. Know that whatever happens, Jesus is reaching out for exactly you.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for this story of seeing, believing, getting afraid, and being saved. Help us see that you love us in our own bodies and want us to be part of your miraculous actions and love.  Amen.