“Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:25-31
Have you ever tried to walk on water? One time I thought that I could do that with scuba diving fins kicking as hard as my legs would permit and it probably appeared that I was walking in waist deep water for a brief period of time. Having the faith in Jesus to be able to walk on water; what was Peter thinking or better yet what was he asking of our Savior?
It was really hot and humid here in Normal yesterday afternoon and when I prepared to open the sliding door and go into my house, I had faith that my air conditioner had kept the inside of my house eighty degrees as that is what my thermostat setting is in the daytime. When I lived in Haiti and would prepare to open the door to my apartment, I knew the temperature inside would either match or be greater than the temperature outside; in that I had faith.
Back in the day, after returning to life in North America, my first weeks back in Lincoln, had somewhat deadened my faith in our Triune God; too many comforts get taken for granted living here. The young woman in the attached photo is Nadine Isidor, who was my office manager in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti headquarters in Port-au-Prince. Her faith walk was a blessing to me as the Holy Spirit working through her brought me closer to Jesus because without Him, my life was more challenging and in danger. Nadine had faith that her job was secure and that Jesus had promised her a mansion in Heaven; the most important was a home in Heaven where she would be with Him. The temperature at her desk was probably 90 degrees and she was very happy to have a job.
When I got up last Sunday, I asked Alexa to play some Southern Gospel music and she found a song by Johnny Cash and Pam Tillis titled ‘Keep your eyes on Jesus.’ Been doing a lot of reflecting on that tonight and I pray that you too will be like me and Nadine, keeping our fixed upon Jesus.
“Keep your eyes on Jesus, when the tidal wave of trouble around you rolls. Keep your eyes on Jesus’ He will calm the storms of life that toss your soul. Living in a world that’s full of sorrow, we are tried and tempted every day. Knowing not the secrets of tomorrow, we find if you win, we watch and pray. In Matthew, Chapter 14, when the disciples were in the ship in the midst of the sea, being tossed with waves, for the wind was contrary. In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, 'it is a spirit'; and they cried out for help. But straightway, Jesus spake unto them, saying, "Be of good cheer; It is I; Be not afraid." And Peter answered him and said, Lord 'If it be Thou, let me come unto Thee upon 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 out, 'Lord, save me.' Peter was doing alright while he kept his eyes on Jesus. But when he looked away at the rolling waves about him, he began to sink. And immediately, Jesus stretched forth His Hand, and caught him, and said unto him, "O, thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" Being tossed in this life by disappointments and temptations, we are very much the same as this disciple. If we want to live for Jesus, we must keep our eyes on Him, and not the pleasures of this world. “Keep your eyes on Jesus, when the tidal wave of trouble around you rolls. Keep your eyes on Jesus; He will calm the storms of life that toss your soul.”
We’ve been praying and waiting for many months and even years for a sign of change to come to Haiti and begin to bring an end to the chaos from gangs. Yesterday, the first of many airplanes from Kenya arrived in PAP bringing a police force to assist the Haitian police in beginning to dissolve the gangs that have brought so much evil into Haiti. Please pray for the police, the citizens and also that gang members would lay down their weapons and repent. Keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus.
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay