The walking on the water by Jesus is an interesting miracle. It has 2 dimensions to it. The physical and the spiritual. Let’s first look at the physical dimensions.
Jesus has just fed the 5000 with a miraculous blessing of 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish with an abundance of 12 baskets of leftovers. Jesus needed some downtime, so he sent his disciples off in a boat while he went off to pray. As night fell, a violent storm intensified, and the disciples found themselves struggling with the wind and waves while in the boat. How often do we encounter fierce storms in our own lives and we feel Jesus has sent us off by ourselves? Financial burdens, health challenges, or strained relationships? They can make us feel that we are battling the situation alone. Yet, even in these storms, we are never alone. In fact, Jesus comes to us.
In the midst of the storm, the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water towards them. Fear gripped their hearts, mistaking Him for a ghost. We, too, may face moments where darkness hides Jesus coming to us. We must remember, Jesus stands with us, ready to reveal Himself in unexpected ways and he comes to us in those times when we struggle to go to him. Jesus removes our fear, not by removing the cause of fear but by giving us courage to face them head on. As he approached the boat with the disciples in it he reveals himself to them – don’t be afraid, I am here. Not “don’t be afraid, I’ve taken care of the problem”. Like Pauls’ request for healing that did not end up with his thorn in the flesh being removed but to take control of his suffering – when I am weak then I am strong.
When Peter asks for permission to leave the boat and walk towards Jesus on the water, Jesus allows it. But the wind and the waves remained and Peter panicked. He had underestimated just how powerful the wind and the waves were. This can be a warning to us to not underestimate the power of the evil one around us but to not be afraid because Jesus is by our side. And this is further highlighted in what Jesus does next.
As Peter cries out to Jesus, Jesus reaches out and takes Peter’s hand and he returns him to the boat. He doesn’t say to Peter, let’s give this another go and this time don’t panic. No, Jesus knows how powerful the enemy is to God’s children.
He had once warned Peter about this – “Simon, Simon (which is Peter), Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Again, Peter didn’t quite understand the enemy and again wanted to go it alone
He replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” Peter learned how powerful the enemy Satan was and he did strengthen his fellow disciples: Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
And this leads us to the Spiritual message that comes from Jesus walking on the water. The sea was considered to be where evil either hid or lived. When the man possessed by a legion of demons was confronted by Jesus in the tombs they requested to be sent into a herd of pigs. Once Jesus granted their request the pigs rushed into the water presumably for their protection by which, however, the pigs drowned.
When John in the book of Revelation saw the New Heaven and the New Earth the first thing he saw was that there was no sea there because nothing evil was permitted to enter into heaven. And when Jesus was given the name above all names in Philippians, Paul said that every knee would bow and every tongue confess that Jesus was Lord, on earth, above the earth and UNDER the earth.
So Jesus walking on the water was an act of authority and defiance over the unclean realm of evil. When Peter panics and begins to sink Jesus extends his hand to Peter and they both go into the boat with the other disciples and they worship Jesus declaring him to be the Son of God. The boat is often representing of the Church and notice the spiritual protection it gave to Peter who only became vulnerable once he broke away from his community of faith and away from the boat, the church. Likewise God has given to us our community of faith for our spiritual well being where we too worship God and are protected from the spiritual harm that wants to make us sink. The church, Jesus says is built on a rock and not even the gates of hell can destroy it.
So, both the physical and spiritual symbolism of Jesus walking on the water are about Jesus care and protection over us. Jesus’ love and care for us doesn’t mean we won’t face storms in our lives. But what Jesus’ love and care for us provide is assurance of his presence with us to ensure we reach our heavenly destination.
That’s the promise made in our Baptism – I am with you always till the end of the age – till you have reached your eternal heavenly home. And in those times of storms God gives to us our faith communities. Our brothers and sisters in Christ to support us – physically and spiritually. He has given to us our churches to come to for times of refreshment and assurance.
We often hear that “I don’t need to go to church – God is everywhere”. That is partly true – God is everywhere. But notice what Jesus does for Peter when he gets into trouble. He reaches out his hand and places him back in the boat, with the other disciples, and they worship him and proclaim – “Truly you are the Son of God”. And what did Paul say – Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Jesus is always near and when we call he comes to us to help us. Again, as Paul said: The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. So may God bless you as you journey through life, through the storms of life knowing your saviour stands at the helm to be with you so you may call upon him and be saved.
