Pastor Michelle Paxton – March 27, 2020 (Pandemic 2020)
After Jesus says “come” to Peter, he steps out of the boat and begins to walk on the water to Jesus. I pause there and think about that simple, yet not so simple miracle. Peter climbed over the boat onto the water to not swim, but to walk, to walk on top of the water to Jesus. To think about the faith Peter must have had to step out, and once again risk, this time probably risking his life.
Matthew 14: 29-31 And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sing he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him…
You can tell that Peter knew he would be just fine if he kept his eyes on Jesus, the one who called him. But, yes here is the but! Whether Peter took his eyes off Jesus, or the wind became greater and then the waves became greater; Peter’s eyes were taken off Jesus, and onto the waves.
Some of you know the practice of keeping your eyes on Jesus, and for others of you, it’s not so much a practice yet, as a longing to be able to do! Both are okay, and actually pretty awesome! The awareness of your need of Jesus, Jesus can work with that! In Peter’s case it was fear of the wind, maybe fear of a storm coming while he is WALKING ON WATER! What is your wind today? Is it fear, loneliness, anxiety, depression, stress? No matter what is taking your eyes away from Jesus, remember… Jesus is still across from you, he hasn’t lost sight of YOU!
Thank goodness this isn’t the end of the story! Peter cried out, “Lord, save me”. The Word tells us he immediately stretched out his hand and caught him! He didn’t let Peter wait there and continue to be afraid to teach him a lesson. He immediately reached out his hand. Even when we get distracted, take our eyes off Jesus, or haven’t even made it to the longing so deep in our hearts; Jesus doesn’t lose sight of us. What I hear Jesus saying in this today is; even when we fail, when our fears, our stress, our “stuff” over takes us, and distracts us from our focus of Jesus, who makes everything right (even if we don’t agree) He is still there; BUT notice, Peter cried out for Jesus to save him.
Start today crying out to Jesus for saving. What do you need to be saved from today? Is it that fear, anxiety, depression, loneliness, stress or something else?
For me, today it’s the anxiety.
Give it to Jesus today, and through this week with me and lets see all of the wonderful things he does in it!
