I give Peter credit for his “little faith” in spite of focusing on the storm, not on his Savior, Who was right there to help him. His excitement didn’t last when doubt took over his mind. Had he kept his eyes on YAHSHUA, he would have reached YAHSHUA without a problem. There are three things in these happenings that are important to point out to you: the storm, Peter’s decision to walk on the water and the prophetic meaning of that storm in Israel’s future at the end times. Like Peter, we too lose sight of our Lord and doubt His Word when going through our trials and valleys. The writer to the Hebrews had good advice for us: Let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance and that sun which so readily clings to and entangles us and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us looking away [from all that will distract] to YAHSHUA, Who is the Leader and the Souse of our faith and is also its Finisher. He, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb.12:1b). Life is filled with unexpected storms. Like the disciples, we too face storms of great proportion. We will win the challenges, if keeping our eyes on YAHSHUA, Who never leaves nor forsakes us. He is right in the middle of the storm with us. Peter’s life experience is not different from ours today. He had YAHSHUA with him in person, but we have His Holy Spirit in us, working in us, guiding us and teaching us and correcting us. His work of sanctification will take us to valleys for us to be molded and sanctified. Storms are necessary in our life, so that the glory of the Lord will be reviewed to us and through us.
The storm the disciples experienced was prophetic in its meaning concerning the future of Israel. Waters are symbolic of nations. We see in this storm nations coming against Israel. There will be a time when that will happen and the nation of Israel will be saved. Zechariah 12:9-10 reads: “And it shall be in that day that I will make it My aim to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem; and I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace or unmerited favor and supplication, and they shall look upon Me Whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him as one who is in bitterness for his firstborn.” They will then realize “with overwhelming individual sorrow over having blindly rejected their unrecognized Messiah.” When the disciples recognized YASHUA for Whom He was, they knelt and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God!” (Matt. 14:33).
Focusing on our trials will make them bigger and hard to exercise our faith in the Word of God. “There is nothing too hard for Him”, or hard at all. Everything is possible when our eyes are directed on Him Who can help and set us free from our troubles. The words of the following song confirm with such comfort the words of YAHSHUA: “let not your hearts be troubled, believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14:1).
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
(by Helen Howarth Lemmel)
Had Peter kept his eyes on YAHSHUA, the storm would have seemed small and he would have reached the Savior without fear. The psalmist directs these words to his soul saying, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my countenance and my God” (Ps. 42:11). The Lord will command His loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, a prayer to the God of my life (vs.8). Be comforted, my friend, for weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning (Ps. 30:5b). Your morning will soon arrive to bring your joy back. Believe it!
THINK ABOUT IT!
Light from the Word 