Dear Parents,
There are so many storms swirling around us at the moment and so many decisions to make for ourselves and our families. There is work, school, activities – what is safe, what is not – what is best for our children and our daily lives – how do they, and we, stay connected to family, friends, schoolmates, the church community…
The list of things above are but a small part of the current storms battering us each day. It seems endless and we are grasping for a sense of normalcy in our lives.
Where do you turn? How do you survive the storms of life? I think the bigger question becomes – where are you setting your eyes? Are they on Jesus or the storm?
This week our Gospel lesson is the story of Jesus walking on water. Many of us know this story and are amazed that Jesus walked out to the boat the disciples were in. We read that the disciples were afraid and think they are seeing a ghost. Jesus calms their fears and tells them to take courage and to not be afraid for it is him that is coming to them.
Then there’s Peter – the one who says “If it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Jesus does, Peter gets out of the boat, he begins walking on water towards Jesus, but when he sees the wind coming he takes his focus off of Jesus, becomes afraid, begins to sink, and then cries out for Jesus to save him.
When Peter had his eyes on Jesus he was able to do something no man on earth had done – walk on water. The minute he took his eyes off Jesus, when he began to doubt, he began to sink.
Jesus says to Peter, “Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt? The Bible then tells us once everyone is in the boat safely, they began to worship Jesus, declaring Him to be the Son of God.
What does that tell us for our own lives? What makes you doubt? What makes you sink? Do we worship God in ALL circumstances, trusting and relying on Him? When storms come into our lives do we doubt God’s presence, do we forget our faith, do we question why this is happening and see no hope OR do we fix our eyes on Jesus knowing He is the one who will keep us safe and walk with us no matter what happens in our lives?
As we go through life, we will face many rough waters and storms. The Bible tells us life will have trouble. In John 16:33 it says;
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Jesus came to overcome the world and the storms that it places before us. He tells us to not be afraid, to take courage, and to look to Him as we lead our daily lives. We so often want to find solutions, fix things, and have them be as we wish. As we know, life doesn’t always work that way but we can set on eyes on Jesus, focus on His guidance in our lives, hear the words of hope He gives, and then bravely step out of boat to share this great news with others.
The picture below really struck me and made me slow down to think – in the midst of the storms of life swirling all around me know – where is He calling me to walk?
