“Why The Storm?” – Part 3
Matthew 14:22-34
And straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 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? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped Him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.
And straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 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? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped Him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.
Why the storm? What looked like their last boat trip became the perfect storm for these disciples. A greater revelation of Who Jesus is came as a result of this storm.
Peter accepted an invitation to walk on the water with Jesus. The other disciples witnessed this. When Peter and the Lord came back into the boat and the wind ceased they proclaimed, “truly, You are the Son of God”. They had witnessed one of their own walk on the water! They witnessed the authority and power of Jesus displayed.
It is through the storm… Jesus will reveal Himself to us in a way never before known to us. It is in the midst of a storm that we receive “divine invitations” to walk with Him as we have never experienced before. Just remember this, ” and when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.” The Lord will get you to the destination that He instructed you to sail to.
He knows we will have to go through some storms to get to our designed and assigned destinies.
Through it all; through the darkness, through the wind, through the rough waters, through the fear, through the trials and troubles… we will hear Him say, ” be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”
D L Rogers