When the storm is raging

God has been speaking to me from the story in Matthew of Jesus walking on the water. The scripture reference is Matthew 14: 22 – 31;

Jesus Walks on the Water

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

The first thing to remember is that the disciples were in the boat crossing the Sea of Galilee when a storm blew in. Now some of these disciples were seasoned fishermen, at least 4 of them who knew about sailing and handling a boat in a storm. It does not say specifically that they were afraid at that point but I am sure that they were not having a happy time of it; the same account in Mark 6 says that the disciples were “straining at the oars”. Then what looks like a ghost comes walking toward them on the water without being swallowed by the waves and winds.

However it is not a ghost, it is Jesus walking on the water, but more than that - walking on the storm! He is walking on the very thing that is causing fear in them, big waves and strong winds, He is not affected by the very thing that is the “battle” in their lives at this point. God made it so clear to me that Jesus is Lord over the raging storms in my life, they are subject to Him but not only that, just as He invited Peter to come to Him walking on the water so He invites me to come with Him and “walk” on those things in my life that seem so terrifying. He invites me to join Him in a place of authority over those things but I have to keep my eyes on Him and not look at the “storm”. Jesus is my very safe place in the storm, He is above those things and in Him I can walk on them.

He is not going to just take the storm away but is inviting us to join Him and walk on the water and not be consumed by the raging around us.