After the 5,000 people were fed, it was evening so Jesus sent the crowd home. He gathered his disciples together and made arrangements; they would go to Capernaum by boat. Whilst he went to spend some time quietly on his own before rejoining them at Capernaum.
In John’s account we read that they rowed across the Sea of Galilee. John 6: 16, 19.
When I was growing up my father and mother used to take my sister and me and sometimes my cousins to Heywood Park where we would make straight for the rowing boats. On one occasion my cousin was about to alight into the boat when the boat moved away from the jetty and as a result she had one foot in the boat and one on the jetty and ended up in the water. She eventually saw the funny side to her falling into the water.
The team work involved when rowing in a big boat like the Oxford and Cambridge boats is very significant, pulling together in perfect timing. The Helmsman has an important role he keeps watch on the rowers timing so they pull together in order to propel the boat forwards.
Our Scout leader brought some oars and we had a demonstration and a bit of fun as some of the congregation had a go at rowing, sitting on chairs with their oars.
Jesus calls us to pull together in our churches, he is at the helm.
On the Sea of Galilee a strong wind prevailed against the disciple’s boat so they struggled to make progress.
The western governments are struggling to make progress as they are try to get a grips with their countries finances. The results of this are now being felt by most families in the UK in various ways: price increases, redundancies, stress levels rising. In my own family we have experienced this.
In times of stress we tend to focus on the problems and fall back on ourselves to sort things out and lose sight of putting our faith in Jesus to help us.
The disciples were making headway painfully slow. They had been rowing for several hours and had only travelled 3-4miles. They must have been tired and wet and when they saw the figure walking on the water coming towards them, they were afraid. Jesus realising this, shouted to them, “Take heart, it is I; have no fear.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water.” He said, “Come to me” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; and when he saw the wind he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “O man of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got to the boat the wind ceased.” Matthew 14: 27-32
If you are going through a difficult time turn to Jesus and fix your eyes upon him. Find the time to share your situation with a Christian friend and pray about it together.
In the 90’s my daughter’s friend Julie came to stay with us, she told me a remarkable story of an instance were the unexplainable happened. I wrote her story down. Julie was a Life Guard at Blackpool, a busy place in summer.
Julie’s own words, “This particular day I was walking along the promenade, the tide was in and the sea was choppy, when I heard racing past me the sirens of the police, ambulance and fire brigade. They stopped at the pier; I began to run towards the pier, on arriving a policeman told me that someone was in the water at the end of the pier. I could just see something bobbing about near the stanchions. I took a lifebuoy and jumped into the sea. I reached the person in the water and grabbed out to get hold of her. The waves were so big I lost my hold of her and she hit her head on the stanchion and disappeared under the water. I remembered feeling afraid and I thought that I was going to drown. I prayed for God’s help. I found the person again and began towards the shore, bouncing along on the sea bed, holding the woman in front of me.
We both survived the ordeal. On returning to the Life Guard base, I was debriefed, I told them what had happened, bouncing backwards on the sea bed. But the guards told me that it was impossible to have done that because of the depth of water.”
Julie went on to say that God had put a platform under her enabling them to reach the shore.
I have since wondered if this is what Peter experienced, a platform under him as he walked towards Jesus on the water of the Sea of Galilee.
Even though it had been a struggle for Julie the Lord needed her arms to uphold this lady and save her life.
Both Peter imitated Jesus walking on the water and Julie her faith enabling her to save the ladies life, Christ in her.
On the Sea of Galilee the disciple’s boat had veered off course they landed the boat on the shore at Gennesaret. Matthew 14: 34
Don’t let go of Jesus, this recession may mean a change in direction or cutting back on the things we may now consider essential like cars, mobiles, 48” TV, designer clothes, but consider this: Graham Kendrick put it into words in his hymn;
“All I once held dear built my life upon.
All this world reveres and wars to own.
All I once thought gain I have counted loss;
Spent and worthless now, compared to this.
Knowing you Jesus,
Knowing you, there is no greater thing.
You’re my all, you’re the best,
You’re my joy, my righteousness,
And I love you, Lord.”
Kendrick Graham 1993 Make Way Music.
Ended with a prayer for families effected by our nations debt crisis.