![\"Jesus](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/731\/2016\/10\/Jesus-and-Peter-walking-on-water-300x159.jpg\")
There are so many encounters that the disciples have with Jesus in such a short time in this one episode that I see myself in this story multiple times.\u00a0 Each encounter, I see a little more of myself and my Lord reflected from the waters of the Sea of Galilee.\u00a0 In fact, what I see this morning is a depiction of how we come closer to Christ in faith and the stages of experiencing Him that we encounter on the way.<\/p>\n
In the first scenario, the disciples are in the boat by themselves.\u00a0 They\u2019re in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.\u00a0 This is a condition I find myself in often.\u00a0 I sense a storm coming in my life, I feel that something\u2019s wrong.\u00a0 The world seems contrary to me, and obstacles array themselves against my plans.\u00a0 Often, in such circumstances, I don\u2019t see Jesus anywhere around.\u00a0 This might also be the condition of someone who is laboring in life without Christ and isn\u2019t even aware of Him at all.<\/p>\n
The second case is when the disciples actually see Jesus coming but mistake Him for a ghost.\u00a0 This is an improvement in the condition of the disciples, even if they don\u2019t think so at the time.\u00a0 While Jesus comes to bless them, they\u2019re probably thinking, \u201cOh great \u2013 first a storm is rising, and now the ghosts come out as well!\u201d<\/p>\n
They cry out in fear because they don\u2019t recognize Jesus Christ for who He is.\u00a0 This might be like someone who has heard of Jesus Christ or even grew up in a Christian home, but who doesn\u2019t understand or believe that He is truly the Son of God.\u00a0 In terms of my life, there are certainly times when Jesus comes into my life and I don\u2019t recognize Him.\u00a0 I believe that I am actually in His presence all of the time, but often I don\u2019t perceive it.<\/p>\n
Seeing Jesus is a tricky business, more of an art than a science.\u00a0 When I am not feeling well physically, I might see the world in grayer terms and miss Jesus.\u00a0 On the other hand, when I\u2019m euphoric because things have gone well, I might easily begin the party without inviting Jesus.<\/p>\n
Often, I\u2019m just too busy (or think that I am).\u00a0 The really tricky part about this is that usually I\u2019m busy doing something for Him, whether at church or at home, and I profane these holy things by making idols out of them.\u00a0 There are times when I probably wouldn\u2019t even recognize Jesus if He rapped on my office door.\u00a0 I think I\u2019d say (without bothering to look up) something like, \u201cNot now, I\u2019m busy doing the Lord\u2019s work, writing a sermon, working on a Bible study, planning youth events for this semester.\u00a0 Can we schedule an appointment?\u201d<\/p>\n
And then there are the more blessed times when Jesus makes Himself known to me and speaks to me.\u00a0 \u201cBe of good cheer!\u00a0 I AM!\u00a0 Do not be afraid,\u201d He told the disciples.\u00a0 There are times when those who are in the process of getting to know Jesus take important steps forward in their faith walk.\u00a0 Jesus makes Himself known, and they \u201cget\u201d who He really is, and are joyful.<\/p>\n
How many times in your life have you been on the water when a storm comes up and, worse yet, something really spooks you?\u00a0 You truly believe that you are going under and that there is little, if anything, you can do about it.\u00a0 You\u2019re in a downward spiral, and life seems to be a menacing force.<\/p>\n
And then Jesus manifests Himself to you in one of the many ways in which He comes to His brothers and sisters.\u00a0 He tells you to be of good cheer, and you are of good cheer because Jesus is with you.\u00a0 He tells you it is He, and that therefore you should no longer be afraid.\u00a0 Things are now right, because even though the difficult situation exists, so does Jesus, and you know that you can make it with Him.<\/p>\n
We should all remember, rehearse, and share such moments when Jesus comes in them, for it\u2019s one of the most important ways we remember and share Jesus.<\/p>\n
There are times of even greater blessing in store for us at other times.\u00a0 Having seen Jesus and come into His presence, we tell Him that we really want to be sure He is in our lives, and so He tells us to come closer and see.\u00a0 Peter made just such a request, and Jesus said to him, \u201cCome.\u201d<\/p>\n
And so those who have come to Jesus to see and hear Him are invited to come closer in their lives with Him.\u00a0 Is it really true what they\u2019ve heard about Jesus?\u00a0 They must now go and find out for themselves.<\/p>\n
In my life, Jesus has beckoned me to come closer to find out what He\u2019s really like.\u00a0 I ask Him frequently to reveal Himself to me so I can be sure He\u2019s in my life.\u00a0 And lo and behold! sometimes I begin to walk on the water, as Peter did.\u00a0 The reason I\u2019m able to go is because there is only one thought in my head at the time: to come to Jesus and be with Him.\u00a0 As I focus on Him, all else grows dim.\u00a0 The other things in my life don\u2019t go away, and I\u2019m still aware of them.\u00a0 It\u2019s just that they\u2019re less significant, all of them: the storms in my life, as well as the bright shiny toys that dazzle my eyes.<\/p>\n
But my life with Jesus doesn\u2019t ever stay that way for long.\u00a0 It\u2019s not long before I begin to pay attention again to the fact that the wind is boisterous in my life, and fear and anxiety and worry come slouching back into my life.\u00a0 I may end the day with Jesus, reflecting on how I saw Him today, but when I begin the next day, behold! Jesus is gone while my worries remain.<\/p>\n
I begin to sink, because I am looking at the sea and the boat and not at Jesus.\u00a0 But I remember enough of Him to cry out, \u201cLord, save me!\u201d\u00a0 And then, in His time, He stretches out His hand to me, catches me as I sink, and says, \u201cO you little-faith \u2013 why did you doubt?\u201d\u00a0 Getting back into the boat, the wind ceases in my life.<\/p>\n
Once again, when I see how good He has been to me and how He comes when I cry out to Him, I come to Him and worship Him, crying: \u201cTruly, You are the Son of God!\u201d<\/p>\n
In reality, I think we\u2019re all in various parts of this story at any one time.\u00a0 Some of you may be near the beginning of the story, being tossed by waves and contrary winds, not recognizing the presence of Jesus.\u00a0 Some of you may not recognize Him when He comes to you.\u00a0 Hasn\u2019t there been something you\u2019ve read, something someone said that sure sounded like the voice of Jesus in your life?\u00a0 Or was it just a ghost of your imagination?<\/p>\n
Some of us vacillate between moments of walking on the water with the Lord and moments of sinking as we look at ourselves and our lives.<\/p>\n
The goal, always, is to look for Jesus and, having found Him, to go to Him.\u00a0 When you are afraid or are sinking, cry out to Him.\u00a0 When He asks you to come to Him, even though what He asks is as unlikely as walking on the water, come to Him.\u00a0 And when He delivers you or comes to you in any way today, come before Him to worship Him as the Son of God.<\/p>\n
Make it your goal today to see Jesus, and when you do, to share Him with someone else.<\/p>\n
Prayer:\u00a0 Jesus, I ask that you come to me today and reveal Yourself to me.\u00a0 When I am blind to You, help me to recognize You; when I recognize You, let me come to You; and when I come to You, may I remain with You.\u00a0 Reach out Your hand today, Lord, and take hold of me, that I may look at you and not the things of this world.\u00a0 Amen.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n Points for Meditation:<\/strong><\/p>\n