Will We Obey?
“Even the wind & the waves obey,
Why can’t I? Why can’t I?
Where is my faith - is it lost at sea?
Lord help me be like the wind and the waves”
[Lyrics from the song Wind and the Waves by David Phelps]
Why can’t I? Why can’t I?
Where is my faith - is it lost at sea?
Lord help me be like the wind and the waves”
[Lyrics from the song Wind and the Waves by David Phelps]
Matt. 14:22 NRSV Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 25 And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Matt. 14:28 Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
As we make our way further into Holy Week I am curious about Peter. In many ways Peter is the over-achieving disciple; first to declare Jesus the Messiah, the “rock” upon which Jesus declares that the church will be built, first to jump ship and begin walking to Jesus that stormy night on the sea of Galilee. And yet, he is also the disciple who tries to dissuade Jesus from going to Jerusalem, who quickly finds himself drowning out at sea after a failed attempt to walk out to his Lord, and he will be the one who infamously denies knowing Jesus three times while his Lord is under arrest and at trial.
He is the living example of what the apostle Paul will later describe as “treasure in an earthen vessel.” It is precisely Peter’s good impulses and passionate trust in Jesus coupled with his obvious cluelessness and timidity in the face of trouble which endears him to me (and to many other people of faith down through the ages). In Peter I find a disciple to whom I can relate — because, of course, I too am a rather chaotic mixture of light and shadow, of trust and fear, of courage and cowardly impulse.
It is important to note that through it all Jesus never appears to give up on Peter. He clearly loves him to the end. And even when, in the post-resurrection meeting on the beach, Jesus chides him for failing to remain committed to the ministry which was given to him, you can see that Jesus is once again embracing Peter in mercy and grace.
So why is it that even the wind and the waves obey Christ, and we find it so hard to obey? I suspect that we all might have a different answer to that question - but that is the question for us on Tuesday of Holy Week. Will we obey? Will we remain true to the end? Will we have so much confidence in God and the power of God’s love to redeem that we will take courageous risks to remain faithful?
Matt. 14:28 Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
As we make our way further into Holy Week I am curious about Peter. In many ways Peter is the over-achieving disciple; first to declare Jesus the Messiah, the “rock” upon which Jesus declares that the church will be built, first to jump ship and begin walking to Jesus that stormy night on the sea of Galilee. And yet, he is also the disciple who tries to dissuade Jesus from going to Jerusalem, who quickly finds himself drowning out at sea after a failed attempt to walk out to his Lord, and he will be the one who infamously denies knowing Jesus three times while his Lord is under arrest and at trial.
He is the living example of what the apostle Paul will later describe as “treasure in an earthen vessel.” It is precisely Peter’s good impulses and passionate trust in Jesus coupled with his obvious cluelessness and timidity in the face of trouble which endears him to me (and to many other people of faith down through the ages). In Peter I find a disciple to whom I can relate — because, of course, I too am a rather chaotic mixture of light and shadow, of trust and fear, of courage and cowardly impulse.
It is important to note that through it all Jesus never appears to give up on Peter. He clearly loves him to the end. And even when, in the post-resurrection meeting on the beach, Jesus chides him for failing to remain committed to the ministry which was given to him, you can see that Jesus is once again embracing Peter in mercy and grace.
So why is it that even the wind and the waves obey Christ, and we find it so hard to obey? I suspect that we all might have a different answer to that question - but that is the question for us on Tuesday of Holy Week. Will we obey? Will we remain true to the end? Will we have so much confidence in God and the power of God’s love to redeem that we will take courageous risks to remain faithful?
Prayer — Lord we admit that we often are so focussed on the storms of life that we do not keep you ever before our eyes. Help us Lord to be like the wind and the waves who, at the raising of your hand and a word from your mouth, do your bidding. In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Posted in Lent
Paul Lang
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