His Secret Place
Title: Why did you Doubt?
by Fay Davidson
Matthew 14:22-33
After Jesus fed more than five thousand people with five loaves and two
fish, he left the crowd and his disciples and went away to pray. He must
have prayed for a long time as it is some time between three o’clock and
six o’ clock in the morning that he comes walking on the sea to his disciples.
The disciples who are in a boat see this figure walking on the water and
they scream out in fear; they think it is a ghost. But Jesus quickly identifies
himself and tells them not to be afraid.
Then Peter asked Jesus to invite
him to walk on the water. The other disciples were satisfied with knowing
that it was Jesus and that they were safe. Peter was safe too, but he wanted
more. He wanted to do exploits and Jesus did not discourage, or criticize
him. And although God is completely in charge of our lives and his Holy
Spirit endows us with gifts, I believe sometimes we might need to ask God
to do the impossible. Only we have to be careful not to look at ourselves,
or the circumstances, or we will go under one way or the other – through
pride or doubt.
Jesus is standing on the water. He tells Peter to come to him and Peter
steps out of the boat and begins to walk on the water towards Jesus. Everything
is fine until he turns away from looking at Jesus. Then he becomes frightened
of the expanse of the universe around him. And I guess, of his smallness
and vulnerability against the vast ocean and the mighty winds.
Just for
one moment he forgot that one who was deeper than the ocean and greater
than the winds was with him. He became frightened and doubted. At that very
moment he began to sink (under the weight of the circumstances/ what he
saw). The water would have drowned him, but it didn’t because he became
desperate and called out to Jesus.
Jesus said to him, ‘O you of little
faith, why did you doubt? Matt. 14:31. Little faith equals doubt. Doubt
destroys every premise of Christianity, every fabric of our faith, our Christian
life and walk. Doubt overshadows the power and character of the God whom
we serve and our victory in Him.
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