We’re thrilled to hear devotional thoughts from Erica Botha this week! Be sure to stop by the contributors page to learn more about her.
Growing up Peter walking on the water was always an amazing story to me. He was able to do what Jesus could do. Recently this passage in Matthew 14 showed me something more. It is always amazing when I read something I’ve seen so many times before and yet God’s living Word shows me something new.
A friend that we considered family passed away unexpectedly. The next morning, I was doing my devotions and there was Matthew 14, timed perfectly for this unexpected situation. As I read and did my devotions, John the Baptist was beheaded. Jesus withdrew from the people when he heard about John’s death. People followed him. Jesus continued to minister to the people and the 5,000 were fed.
Jesus dispersed the people and sent the disciples ahead of him on a boat. He went up the mountain to pray. The disciples were well on their way to the other shore. Jesus walked on the water to catch up to them. The disciples thought he was a ghost. Peter told Jesus if it was really him to call him out onto the water, too. Jesus did, and Peter started walking on the water. When he let his eyes wander to the wind and the storm around him he started to sink and he cried out for Jesus to save him.
There was grief at the passing of John the Baptist. There was ministry. There was Peter walking on the water. This time though, I realized that it wasn’t just about the amazing fact that Peter could do what Jesus was doing, but rather that to stay above the water in a storm we have to keep our eyes on Jesus. We have to stay focused on him so that we don’t sink.
I was struggling with the grief of the situation and the impact of the loss. God’s presence was still with us. His Word was still with us. Focusing on the grief and loss would have been overwhelming, drowning. I knew that I needed to keep Jesus in front of me, to focus on Him. The storms in our lives will continue to come and go around us, but God is constant.
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