Story: Peter and the Storm

Matthew 14:22-3

    After Jesus and the twelve disciples had just finished feeding the five thousand, he told them to sail to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus went up on a mountainside and prayed, meanwhile, the disciples were sailing right through unfavorable winds. It was then Jesus appeared walking on the water, and the disciples were terrified that it was a ghost. Jesus reassured them it was him, but Peter, wanting to be sure, asked him he could join him in walking on the water! Jesus agreed and Peter began to walk on the water, but when he saw the raging storm around him, he quickly began to sink. Jesus said to Peter “You of little faith, why did you doubt me?“ Jesus caught Peter and climbed into the boat, and the wind and storm died down. Then the disciples worshipped him and said “surely you are the Son of God“

   When Peter climbed out of the boat he was able to walk to Jesus because he had faith in him. It was when he noticed the raging winds that he grew fearful and began to drown.

    Every day brews new storms and challenges for us to face in our daily lives. Our careers, families, and relationships all demand our attention, even technology has started to pull us away from our walk with God. With so much competing for our time, it’s easy to lose ourselves in uncertainty. We take our eyes off God when we feel overwhelmed because we forget he is the one holding us up.

In a brief moment in Luke 10

“38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way; he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ 41 ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’”– Luke 10:38-42

   Martha believed in Jesus, but even she paid more attention to little things instead of hearing what Jesus was saying. Mary chose to listen because she knew that hearing from Jesus was the most important thing she could do. She learned to keep her eyes on God, especially when it was the most important to.

   Back to Peter. When God saved him from drowning, they walked together back to the boat. He put his eyes back on God and he walked on the water again! They climbed back into the boat and the storm and winds ceased. God never leaves our side, and when we keep our eyes on him he is always there to bring us through the storms.

One of the best things we can do is intentionally set aside time to be able to read in God’s word, or even dedicate a few minutes to pray. Taking that time intentionally brings us closer to God and shows our devotion to that time, even if it’s not planned.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10