Matthew Chapter 14
This year has been an extremely difficult year.
Life, as we know it, has been changed way beyond our imagination.
We work from home. We study online. We wear masks wherever we go. We order food delivery service more often. We buy online rather than shop in malls.
We do not get to travel and take our holidays (today is a holiday and if this were normal times, many would have taken the opportunity of a long weekend to go somewhere).
We do not get to gather as families. We do not meet our friends as usual.
And worst of all, we do not get to go to church to worship God together and have fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Zoom, Whatsapp calls, online service streaming do not quite replace the real thing.
Although we are now in Phase 2 of the opening up after the Circuit Breaker, the waves of bad news still keeps coming.
The 2nd wave of Covid-19 infections reported in many parts of the world. The reports of the looming economic crisis, retrenchments and jobs insecurity.
Reading today’s passage, I was immediately drawn to the incident where Peter walked on water.
We are all familiar with this story. Peter and the disciples were caught in a storm and were tossed to and fro. Then they saw Jesus walking on the water and Peter asked if he too, could walk on water with Jesus.
He took that step of faith and got out of the boat and walked towards Jesus. Then he started looking around and saw the boisterous waves and he got afraid. He started sinking and called out to Jesus to save him.
And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
~Matthew 14:31
When we are meeting with the storms of life now, what is our reaction?
We do have faith in Jesus. We believe that in Him, all things are possible.
And like Peter, we may have stepped out in faith before and experienced the miraculous power and wonder of Jesus.
What somewhere along the way, we got distracted by the problems around us. We start to focus on the strong winds of troubles that surround our lives. Then we lose heart. We lose faith. And we start to sink …
“Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
~ Matt 14:26
When faced with an uncertain way ahead, God said similar words to Joshua:
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
~ Joshua 1:9
Do not be afraid for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
How comforting are these words! How encouraging are these words!
The question is when we meet with the storms of life, do we remember them and believe in it?
Fear got the better of Peter this time and he sank. But Jesus did not let him drown. Jesus showed Peter that it is time for him to get a bigger faith.
What about us today?
We do have faith but how big is our faith?
Where do we go when we need help? When we are afraid?
Keep your eyes and faith on Jesus and not the problems around us.
