The disciples had just experienced the feeding of 5,000 and
the miraculous way in which Jesus had dealt with the crowds. Desiring private prayer time, Jesus commanded
the disciples to get in their boat and go on ahead to the other side. As the storm grew in intensity the disciples
worked harder and harder at the oars to gain control over their
circumstances. Scripture doesn’t say
that they were fearful of the storm for they had battled many as
fishermen. They became terrified when
they saw an apparition on the water.
Peter, the only one who recognized Jesus, walked out his baby faith and
joined Jesus on the water. With only
momentary success, he took His eyes off Jesus and began to sink. As Peter continued to follow the teachings
and miracles of Jesus he continued to grow in his faith. He would be tested many times and would experience
things that would change his heart forever. After the death and resurrection of Jesus his
faith was forever changed. Imprisoned
and bound for execution, Peter experienced another apparition. ‘Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared…Peter
followed him…but thought he was seeing a vision. Then Peter…said ‘Now I know without a doubt
that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me’ Acts 12:7-11. When we see Peter’s faith at the beginning of
his walk with Jesus compared to his faith after the departure of Jesus there is
no comparison. Peter would never be the same
after getting to know the Savior …and neither
should we.
Once we are in love with Christ and have experienced His
power we should expect miraculous sightings and His messengers to attend to us. We should never be the same after being
rescued from the storm and carried by Jesus back into the boat. We cannot respond to grown up sufferings with
baby faith. God places our circumstances
in relation to our level of faith to grow us into spiritually mature
Christians. When God originally pursues
us He doesn’t see us as people with little faith in a boat…He sees us as His
people with the potential to be full of courage and boldness walking out His message. He treats us as the people He knows we can
become instead of the people we think we are. ‘When Jesus met Peter, He saw beyond what Peter was like at that moment
to what he could become by the transforming work of the Spirit of God… Christ loves
you and is determined to make you reach your full potential as a Spirit-filled
child of God’ Experiencing God, p. 48. Without the fierce storms and the paralyzing
circumstances of life we could never become the people God intended. It is through our battles and God’s victories
that we become all that God intended us to be in Christ.
‘I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens me’ Phil 4:13
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