I’m Sinking Fast

(Based on a chapter from Max Lucado’s new book FEARLESS)

Immediately after this the (the miracle of the five loaves and two fish), Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. (Matt. 14:22-24 NLT).

As famous lakes go, Galilee-only thirteen miles at its longest, seven and a half at its widest-is a small, moody one. The small size makes it more vulnerable to the winds that howl out of the Golan Heights. They turn the lake into a blender, shifting suddenly, blowing first from one direction, then another. Winter months bring such storms every two weeks or so, churning the waters for two to three days at a time. Peter and his fellow storm riders knew they were in trouble. What should have been a sixty minute cruise became a nightlong battle. The boat lurched and lunged like a kite in a March wind. Sunlight was a distant memory. Rain fell from the night sky in buckets. Lightning flashed across the sky. Winds whipped the sails, leav­ing the disciples "in trouble......fighting heavy waves....... Maybe this is the description of how we feel about our situation right now!

Perhaps all we need to do is substitute a few words...
In the middle of a divorce, fighting guilt.
In the middle of debt, in trouble with your creditors.
In the middle of a medical issue, fighting the fear and cost.
In the middle of a family crisis, fighting outside influences.
In the middle of a company “layoff”, in trouble, you may be losing your job of even worse, your home! In the middle of__________________, fighting ___________, in trouble__________!

The disciples fought the storm for nine cold, skin-drenching hours. And about 3:00 a.m. the unspeakable happened. They spotted some­one coming on the water. “‘A ghost!' they said, crying out in terror" (Matt. 14:26 MSG).

They didn't expect Jesus to come to them this way.

Neither do we. We expect him to come in the form of peaceful hymns or Easter Sundays or quiet retreats. We expect to find Jesus in morning devotionals, church suppers, and prayer time. We never expect to see him in a what appears to be a financial meltdown, pink slip, lawsuit, foreclosure, or war. We never expect to see him in a storm. But it is in storms that he does his finest work, for it is in storms that he really gets our attention.

Jesus replied to the disciples' fear with an invitation worthy of inscrip­tion above every church entrance. "'Don't be afraid: he said. 'Take courage. I am here!''' (Matt. 14:27 NLT).

Power is found in those words. To awaken in an lCU and hear your husband say, "I am here:” To lose your retirement yet feel the support of your family in the words "We are here:” When a Little Leaguer spots Mom and Dad in the bleachers watching the game, "I am here" changes everything. Perhaps that's why God repeats the "I am here" pledge so often.

The Lord is near. (Phil. 4:5 NIV)

You are in me, and I am in you. (John 14:20 NIV)

I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matt. 28:20 NIV)

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:28 NIV)

Nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. (Rom. 8:38 NLT)

We cannot go where God is not. Look over your shoulder; that's God following you. Look into the storm; that's Christ coming toward you.

Much to Peter's credit, he took Jesus at his word. '''Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water: So He said, 'Come: And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus" (Matt. 14:28-29).

Peter never would have made this request on a calm sea. Had Christ strolled across a lake that was as smooth as a hardwood floor, Peter would have applauded, but it is doubtful that he would have stepped out of the boat. Storms prompt us to take unprecedented journeys. For a few historic steps and heart-stilling moments, Peter did the impossible. He defied every law of gravity and nature; "he walked on the water to go to Jesus:'”

Max Lucado stated in his book that his editors would have never allowed him to leave out as many details as Matthew did. They would have flooded the margin of his manuscript with red ink: "Elaborate! How quickly did Peter exit the boat? What were the other disciples doing? What was the expres­sion on his face? Did he step on any fish? How far did he go?

Matthew had no time for such questions. He moves us quickly to the major message of the event: where to stare in a storm. But when he (Peter) saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. (Matt. 14:30).

Perhaps a wall of water blocked his view. Maybe a wind gust snapped the mast with a crack and a slap. Maybe a flash of lightning illuminated sky. But for whatever reason, Peter shifted his attention away from Jesus and toward the storm, and when he did, he sank like a brick in a pond. Give the storm waters more attention than the Storm Walker, and get ready to do the same.

Whether or not storms come, we cannot choose. But we can choose where we look.

The storm was still going on but Peter was safe until he became afraid and took his eyes off Jesus. After a few moments of flailing in the water, he turned back to Christ and cried, "'Lord, save me!' Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. 'You of little faith; he said, 'why did you doubt?' And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down" (Matt. 14:30-32 NIV). Jesus could have stilled this storm hours earlier. But he didn't. He wanted to teach the followers a lesson.

Jesus could have calmed our storm long ago. But He hasn’t. Does He want to teach us a lesson?

Could the lesson be something like this: “Storms are not an option, but fear is”? His lesson is clear. He’s the commander of every storm. Are you scared in yours? Then keep your eyes on HIM! He still says, “I am here”.