The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Two Walked"
"And 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 fear. 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, bid me come unto Thee on 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, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Matthew 14:25-31).
Two walked by faith on the water, one perfectly, and one less confidently. Peter stepped for a time until the wind made waves, tempting him to divert his attention from the Lord Jesus Christ, who did not falter despite "the wind boisterous."
Because we can so identify with him, we focus on Peter's walk striding and sinking. However, we do well to consider also that the Lord Jesus walked on the water not by His own power, but rather that of Another.
"I live by the Father… the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works" (John 6:57; 14:10).
Christ's faith in His Father did not sink, nor did His feet into the waves. A glorious faithfulness presents itself in the account of One who trusted, and who beckoned another to join Him in faith. Of course, we may be tempted to think, "Well, He was Christ. Certainly, He trusted His Father!" This is true, and we never forget the Lord Jesus was the God who became man, and the man who remains God. However, we also remember He lived a life such as we live in order to identify with us, being "in all points tempted like as we are, and yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:16). The Lord Jesus walked on the water by faith no less than did Peter, trusting the Father who dwelled in Him and who did the works. We therefore look to Him as "the author and finisher of our faith" because He never succumbed to the temptation to be overwhelmed by stormy winds rather than trusting the Father who made them. "Stormy wind, fulfilling His word" (Hebrews 12:2; Psalm 148:8).
We identify with Peter in Matthew's account of an unlikely journey. We also do well to rejoice in the One who identified with us by His walk upon the waters. Indeed, let us glance at Peter, gleaning the lessons learned from his faith and his failure. Let us gaze upon the Lord Jesus, however, being illuminated by His example, and by His faithfulness inspiring and enabling our own. Yes, we will stride upon the waters of our lives as we look to the One familiar with our journey, and more than able to empower our walk as His trust and trustworthiness leads to our own.
"Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (II Corinthians 3:18).
Weekly Memory Verse
I will run the way of Thy commandments, when Thou shalt enlarge my heart.
(Psalm 119:32)
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