CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – The story of Jesus walking on water on the Sea of Galilee is one of my favorites in the Bible.
During the fourth watch of the night Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the water, they said, “It is a ghost.” And they cried out in fear.
Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Do not be afraid. It is I.”
Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, tell me to come out to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
And Peter got out of the boat, and began walking on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and waves, he became afraid and began to sink. He cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him, and said, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
This is not a story of a Jesus magic trick.
Although we are told that those on the boat worshiped him as the storm ceased, this isn’t an I-am-who-I-say-I-am story.
This is a story that speaks to us through the ages. When you have faith in Christ things that seem impossible, aren’t. The annals of faith are filled with ordinary people doing extraordinary things. The rational mind tells us, “don’t bother trying… it can’t be done.” The walk on the water tells when we have faith, the calculations of what we can and can’t do aren’t ours to make. They are God’s. In faith, we can do things that are otherwise unimaginable.
The opposite is also true. When Peter doubts, he begins to sink. And so it is with us. When our faith waivers, we are drowning.
I’m Chris Conley.
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