Matthew 14:22-36
Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
The only one I know who has Unconditional, Complete Faith is Jesus...He believed in God completely and followed His will completely...Jesus suffered little from doubting that God exists...On the other hand man often has doubts about God...God, sometimes to me, is a hiding God...So while our faith may at times will wane with doubt, we better understand the unbelievers, skeptics, and the atheists...We can see why they might doubt and be of little faith...
Jesus even gave us a parable on the subject of little faith...He said, “Because you have so little faith...Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move...Nothing will be impossible for you. ”...Jesus even said to Peter when he tried to walk on water -He told him he had little faith...The story went something like this...Peter tried to walk on water like his Master...When Peter saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, “LORD, save me!”...Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter...“You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”...And when Peter climbed back into the boat, the wind died down...
Faith is necessary for an abundant life...But faith is on some days will be strong and other days not as strong...The Great Saint Peter shows us this, even when Jesus was right by his side...And Jesus completely understood why Peter doubted and why the wind frightened him...Yet, Jesus worked with Peter to help mature his faith as He will each of us...Let us be strong in our faith when the dies down, but also when the wind strengthens and blows hard against us...
Theologian Karl Barth described what he believed faith is...“Faith is not an art...Faith is not an achievement...Faith is not a good work of which some may boast while others can excuse themselves with a shrug of the shoulders for not being capable of it...It is a decisive insight of faith itself that all of us are incapable of faith in ourselves, whether we think of its preparation, beginning, continuation, or completion...In this respect believers understand unbelievers, skeptics, and atheists better than they understand themselves...Unlike unbelievers, they regard the impossibility of faith as necessary, not accidental.”...