Begin with 2 minutes of stillness and silence before God.

In Matthew 14:22-33, we see one of my favorite stories from the Bible. After feeding 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish, Jesus tells His disciples to cross the sea while He dismisses the crowds. Later that night, the disciples find themselves in a fierce storm, struggling against the wind and waves. Jesus is physically absent in their scenario. It's in the midst of this chaos that Jesus comes to His disciples, walking on the water. Have you ever found yourself in a storm of life and felt like Jesus just wasn’t there to help, and then reminded later that he was there all along?

I think of a classroom and the stress of learning and studying from our teacher. Then test day comes and we feel all alone. No one to talk to, no one to ask questions from. Our teacher is silent. We could easily feel abandoned, but the reality of the situation is that our teacher prepared us for this moment. We just have to rely on what we have already been taught. What our teacher has already taught us. The teacher is still in the room, the same as always, and will be there after the test is over, but at the moment, we fall back to what was already instilled in us. The same is true for our heavenly teacher. Jesus is still there in the storm, but do we panic in abandonment, or rely on the faith He’s already instilled in us through His grace, mercy, and love?

Peter, demonstrating a mixture of faith and doubt, asks Jesus to command him to come to Him on the water. Jesus grants his request, and Peter begins to walk on the water toward Jesus. However, when Peter notices the strength of the wind, he becomes afraid and begins to sink. He cries out to Jesus, who immediately reaches out His hand and saves him, and Jesus speaks about his little faith.

This passage offers profound insights into the nature of faith and the character of Jesus. It reminds us that even in the midst of life's storms, Jesus is present with us, offering comfort, reassurance, and deliverance. Like Peter, we are called to step out in faith, trusting in Jesus' power to sustain us even in the most challenging circumstances.

Yet, the passage also highlights the importance of keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus. When Peter takes his gaze off Jesus and focuses instead on the storm raging around him, he begins to sink. Similarly, when we allow fear, doubt, or distraction to overshadow our faith, we risk losing sight of Jesus, forgetting He’s there, and faltering in our walk with Him.

As we navigate the storms of life, may we be like Peter, willing to step out in faith and trust in Jesus' power to sustain us. And may we keep our eyes fixed firmly on Him, knowing that He is the source of our strength, our hope, and our salvation.

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Where in your life do you need to remember the Teacher is still in the room?
• Where can you grow your faith in the Teacher and remember all that He has instilled in you?