Friday, October 25 2019; The Hand of Jesus

THE HAND OF JESUS 

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’ (Matthew 14:31 NIV) 

A storm happens. Peter and the other disciples are in a boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. They are terrified. There are strong winds. The water is getting rough. The waves are beating against the boat. Suddenly, they see a figure walking on water towards the boat. They are horrified. They think it is a ghost.

Just as suddenly as they had appeared, the figure begins to speak to them “It is I. Don’t be afraid”. It is the voice of Jesus. 

‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ (Matthew 14:28-30 NIV) 

I remember an experience from when both of my children were about a year old. They were crawling around on the carpet and trying to stand up. They were just beginning to get the strength in their legs to stand up. Both would try to stand up but then go back on their knees again due to their lack of strength. This process would be repeated many times. It is one of the joys of parenthood. I would reach out my hand to them. They would grab my hand with theirs. Then I would extend my hand so that they could stand up straight. “See you are standing now!” Good job, Esther! Good job, Luke!

It was not just standing that I helped my children with. Pretty soon they wanted to learn how to walk. They could not walk by themselves. Again, I would extend my hand to them. They grabbed my hand with theirs. Then we would walk down the room with our hands joined.

There is a storm. Jesus appears like a ghost. He says, “It is I; do not be afraid”. Peter says, “Lord if it is you, please tell me to come to you”. Jesus says, “Come, Peter”. Peter goes out in faith. Peter walks on the water. But he feels the wind. He sees the waves. He doubts. He begins to sink. He cries out to Jesus, “Lord save me”. 

Immediately Jesus reaches out his hand and catches Peter. As Jesus holds his hand, Jesus tells Peter, “You of little faith, why do you doubt?”

“I am the one who feeds the 5,000 by the mountainside. I am the one who asks you all to get into the boat. I am the one who walks on the water to get to you all. I am the one who tells, you, Peter to come out to me. Don’t doubt, Peter. Have faith in me. Here is my hand. Hold my hand. Let’s walk together to the boat. I will always walk with you, Peter.”

Look for the hand of Jesus in your life. 

Pastor Pye