Walking on water (part 2)

In our last article we began looking at the story of Jesus walking on water, as recorded in Matthew 14:22-33. We saw that the story really began when Jesus sent the crowds away, and then went up on the mountain to be alone with his father. Even though we are not told exactly how long Jesus spent on the mountain in prayer, we get the clear impression that he sent the crowds away some time in the evening before dark, and we find out from verse 25 that it was somewhere “in the fourth watch of the night” (3:00 - 6:00 a.m.) when Jesus encountered his disciples. We can guess then, that he spent several hours alone in intimate communion with his father, during which time he was renewed, refreshed, and recharged by the life and power of God. And, having drunk a fresh dose of the life and power of God, Jesus was ready for the power of God to displayed through him.

The next thing we notice from this story is the situation the disciples had gotten into since Jesus had sent them away several hours before. Verse 24 tells us “the boat was already a long distance from the shore, battered by the waves for the wind was contrary.” The word “battered” in this verse literally means, “tormented.” Mark 6:48 says that the disciples were “straining at the oars, for the wind was against them.” John 6:17 adds this simple, and yet very powerful statement to help us understand this already bleak situation: “It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.”

Together these passages paint a pretty clear picture of the situation the disciples were in. For several hours they had been battered by “tormenting” waves and “contrary” winds. They were “straining” their no-doubt tired, cold and probably wet muscles, trying to row the boat to the other side like Jesus had told them. And, probably worst of all from their point of view, Jesus, who had made them get in this boat in the first place, was nowhere to be seen!

Anyone who has tried to live a life of faith for any length of time has probably, at some point in their life, found themselves in a situation not too different from the one the disciples were in. You’ve heard what you considered to be a clear command from the Lord to “go to the other side” in some venture, or ministry of some kind. Then, like a good little trooper you jumped in the “boat” grabbed the oars, and started rowing, heading for the “other side.” But then, not too long after you left the safety of the shore, “the sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.” (John 6:18)

How we will react when we find ourselves in situations like this depends on the strength of our relationship with Jesus, and how certain we are that we heard his voice telling us to “go to the other side.” If our relationship with Jesus is not that deep and/or if we are uncertain that he really told us to do this, chances are we will talk ourselves into going back to the shore. If, on the other hand, we have walked with him for some time, and believe that it was indeed him who told us to go, we will simply grab the oars harder, and go on, facing the battering waves and contrary winds, and “straining at the oars” like the disciples did.

At some point we reach the point of “no return” or, perhaps more accurately, the point of “why return?” The point of “why return” is the point after which it would be as far if not farther to go back than it would be to go forward. John 6:19 tells us that the disciples had rowed “about three or four miles” before Jesus came to them. The Sea of Galilee is only about 10 miles at its widest point, and this particular crossing was even less, so the disciples had undoubtedly passed the point of “why return?” This suggests to me that God deliberately kept Jesus on the mountain until the disciples had passed this point. And I believe that God will sometimes do the same thing to us - letting us “strain at the oars” at least until we row past the point of “why return?”