Jesus walks on the water toward his friends, so intent is he on being with them. Caught in a sudden squall far away from solid ground, they are frantic with fear. Suddenly Jesus comes toward them. “It’s going to be all right! He calls out. “Don’t be afraid.”
“If it’s really you telling me not to be afraid, Lord, then tell me to come to you,” Peter said.
You know the rest. The surge of confidence as he bounds out of the boat and fairly skims across the surface like a speed skier racing toward Jesus, followed by his sudden sinking spell.*
We know the Peter phenomenon. All around us, storms rage. Famine and flood bring waves of starvation and disease. Angry winds of partisanship and hate threaten entire systems of government. Isolation and mistrust destabilize neighborhoods. Addiction ravages families. Solid ground is a distant memory, faithful community but a wish dream, when suddenly we think we see him. There he is, calling us to himself.
The key question is, what happens next? May we be given the outrageous audacity to step out into even the most unlikely of places if Jesus is the one calling us. And may we trust ourselves enough to keep trusting him.
–Kayla McClurg, Passage by Passage, Year A
- What storms are threatening you right now?
- What glimpses of hope a calling out to you?
- How might you step out of the boat? Can you?
