wherefore didst thou doubt?
Matthew 14:31
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he SAW the wind boisterous, he was AFRAID; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Matthew 14:28-32.
The hours passed--time for the evening meal came and went. Jesus' disciples went to Him and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. Jesus saw no need for them to leave simply because they were hungry. He stated the obvious: Give ye them to eat. That must have given them a sinking feeling: they had no stores (food OR money) from which to feed 5,000 men (NOT counting the women and children).
Amongst that great swell of people, all they found was a lad who had FIVE loaves and TWO fishes. Another wave of that sinking feeling may have swelled over them when they realized it was all the food to be found, and especially when such information didn't perturb Jesus at all. He merely told them to have the people sit. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And they did ALL eat, and were FILLED. Not only did everyone eat and get "filled", but there were TWELVE, I said, TWELVE baskets of leftovers!
Let me insert something here: the crowd was ready to set Jesus up as their king because He had healed them, He had fed them, He had related to their burdens, He had given them what they wanted (were looking for). Thus they were EAGER to support Him. Many of us have experienced the same emotions when a loved one is seriously injured or gravely ill. Through technological advances and the doctor's skill, we are able to get our loved one "back". At the moment we hear that our loved one is going to get better, we want to do "something" for that doctor, don't we? Our emotions "carry us"--we are overwhelmed by gratitude. It's known as "cupboard love" (when the cupboard is full, we love the provider. When it isn't, we don't.)
Well? We do the same thing with Jesus Christ! When we want comfort in sorrow, when we want strength in difficulty, when we want peace in turmoil, when we want deliverance from depression, there is NO ONE as wonderful as Jesus! "Lord, I'll ___________, if You will just meet this need." Oh how we can open our hearts to Him, then! But when He leads us to witness to others, convicts us of some error we have made, asks us to make a sacrifice, draws us to love the unloveable, we have no time for Him!
We have no right to condemn the crowd that followed Jesus that day: we do the same thing, today. We love to see the "works"--that which is entertaining and spectacular, but we are NOT interested in going through lessons (tests and trials) which are sent our way to build our faith--that which SUSTAINS us from day to day. We live from CRISIS to CRISIS. This is the very reason so many seek out those who specialize in the "spectacular", yet continue to live in daily defeat. We can "watch" others get "delivered", but we have NOT the faith to pray a simple prayer and get the results we need. We wonder why we keep finding ourselves Down In The Dumps, Again?
We go to church every time the doors are open. We sit there, watching the service go by, daydream through the sermon, fume over the length of the closing, then go out of the church doors and right back into that same old sinking feeling, don't we? Our smiles fade, our spirits fall, old self takes back over and "Victory In Jesus" is just some song the old folks used to sing!
The scriptures tell us that when the disciples on the boat saw Jesus walking on the water, they were troubled (terasso means "stirred or agitated"). Their first thoughts were of fear--they thought they were seeing a spirit (phantasma, which means "spectre" or "ghost"). We can understand them being surprised, but troubled?
Mark 6:52 tells us, For they considered NOT the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened (poroo, which means "calloused", from poros which means "stone"). Well! The writer didn't cut them any slack, did he? The Living Bible says, "For they still didn't realize who he was, even after the miracle the evening before! For they didn't want to believe!" (Even less slack there!!)
Please understand: Jesus had come along and beckoned them out of their rather mundane lives. They were amazed by what they saw Him do, but at the same time, confused by what He sought to teach them. They could stand and watch Him "perform" for hours on end, but when it came down to them actually believing beyond what they saw (as in applying what He taught to their own lives), they were not prepared to do so. Their logic told them that IT just COULDN'T be!
Isn't that the same logic that so many apply to the "salvation experience" today? Come on now, think about it! Why do you think so many become so easily "discouraged" in their walk with Christ? It is NOT that the salvation they received was fraudulent! It IS that they were expecting the spectacular! Instead of understanding the SIGNIFICANCE of what they HAVE received (for there is NO GREATER MIRACLE than the MIRACLE of SALVATION), they're still awaiting some splendid jaw-dropping, eye-popping, attention-getting event! (Which explains why those who promote such events are in great demand and so popular!!)
That's why it is SO IMPORTANT that there be those available to work with "new converts" to Christ, as they grow in Grace and Knowledge of Him through His Word! That's why it is SO IMPORTANT that we ALWAYS strive to encourage one another, no matter how long we have "been in The Way". That's why Christ commanded us to "love one another"! Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:23-25. ("Exhort" is parakaleo, which means "to call near, console, comfort".)
Understand this: when Peter asked Jesus to let him "walk on the water", he was right. When Peter climbed out of that boat, he was right. When Peter took his first steps on the water, he was right. He STARTED RIGHT. So how did he wind up so wrong? By doing the VERY same thing we do today: he let his circumstances dictate his faith!
BUT when he SAW the wind boisterous, he was AFRAID... Even in the presence of Jesus, within the very reach of Jesus' hand, Peter saw the surrounding circumstances and it overwhelmed his faith: ...and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
We NEED to see Him as our Redeemer! We NEED to see Him as our Ruler Over All (INCLUDING our lives day to day). We NEED to see Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords! We NEED to see Him as THE ONE Who hung on a cross and shed His life's blood that we might have life and have it WHAT? MORE ABUNDANTLY!
When Christ is with us, we CAN outlast the storms. He IS our SAFE HAVEN. The next time you experience that sinking feeling, take a page out of Peter's book: ...and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, LORD, SAVE ME. That which you can not do, Jesus can. That which you can not change, Jesus can. That which has no answer, Jesus resolves.
REMEMBER: Jesus Christ is the AUTHOR (archegos = "chief leader") and FINISHER (teleiotes = "completer" or "consummater") of our faith. You do NOT have to succumb to any more sinking feelings !
"That Sinking Feeling" Copyright © 2002 by Patricia Sikes.
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