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Monday, September 14, 2009
Storm-Tossed Salvation
 Psalm 107:23-32; Matthew 14:22-33
If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat!
It's as simple as that. And as profound as that.
The stained glass window depicts Jesus and Peter doing that water walk thing in the middle of a midnight storm on the Lake of Galilee.
Well, Jesus is walking. Peter has plunged right into a sink-or-swim situation.
He'd started out just great -- doing the impossible according to any law of physics that's ever been discovered -- and probably enjoying every second of it more than words can say.
But here are a few choice words he might have said after all...
"Dudes," to his mates back in the storm-tossed boat: "Check this out. I'm hangin' ten without a board!" And then: "Bet you wish you were out here, too! C'mon, boys, what's stopping you?"
But after that, it must have been: "Whoa, these waves are rockin'!" Then: "Wait a minute! I can't do this. Nobody can walk on water!"
Then down he went, like a rock!
Just one more word he spoke, between all the gulps and sputters... "Help!" And that was all the prayer he needed to say.
Jesus reached out a strong hand, gripped Peter's flailing hand, and pulled him up so they could walk together back to the safety of the boat. And then the wind died down, the waves grew calm, and all was well once more.
Three thoughts for you:
1. Sometimes the best prayer is a brief one. Anne Lamott says that all our prayers boil down to these two: "Help me" and "Thank you." Everything else is elaboration. God knows what you're thinking and feeling long before you wrap your words around it. Eloquence and propriety are trumped every time by basic honesty.
2. Peter's real problem with walking on the waves wasn't how weak his faith was. In another place, Jesus assured Peter and all of his disciples that even the smallest amount of faith (the size of a mustard seed) is sufficient for the biggest of challenges (like, moving a mountain). What got Peter in trouble was taking his eyes off Jesus and sizing things up as if faith has nothing to do with "real life." (Repeat: "Nobody can do this that I'm right now doing!") The fact is, little faith... naive faith... weak faith... is stronger than death when it's focused on the bigness of our God.
3. If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat. The drive for safety and security can put a death grip on the best of us. What a tragedy to reach your life's end wondering "What if..." and wishing "If only..."! Faith always calls us to stretch forward, to reach out, to take an occasional risk and so to grow into all God wants for us to be and do in life.
[The proverbial technical difficulties prevented an MP3 recording of this week's sermon. It was a good one, too! Hope you can come hear me live sometime, and enjoy the fellowship in the bargain.]
posted by Jack Buckley at
3:52 PM
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