February 2, 2021
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” – Matthew 14:31
I hope that we recognize the above verse from the time when Jesus calls Peter out of the boat to walk on the water. Jesus is already walking on the water on his way to meet the disciples. They fear he is a ghost, but Jesus tells them it is he. Peter responds by saying, “if it is you, call me out on the water with you.” Jesus calls him, and Peter steps out of the boat with great faith and begins to walk on the water.
If we could end the story there, it would seem to be a great call for people to have faith, to remove any doubt, and trust in the calling of Jesus to go wherever it is that Jesus tells our hearts to go. This could lead us to do many great and wonderous things in the name of Jesus for the kingdom that is already and not yet. However, that is not the point of the story, nor where the story ends, and we all know what happens next.
Peter sees the dangers of the waters and the waves, loses sight of Jesus, allows his doubts to overcome his faith and begins to sink.
I’ve heard many pastors and preachers want to scold Peter for his lack of faith, or believe that Peter was being scolded by Jesus, but the way that Matthew records this scene, I don’t know if we can accurately translate “ye of little faith…” to be a reprimand, but an acknowledgement of the internal struggle – the desire to believe in something greater, and the dark reality of the world around us.
We may think of doubt as a detrimental to faith, but doubt can also have a way of helping balance our faith. Doubts might call us to search deeper in the scriptures, pray more fervently, and make sure that what we are doing is from God, and not our own desires, or the desires of another pushing us. Doubt and faith, in balance, help us to understand the reality of our calling to love one another as Jesus has first loved us. As we keep our eyes on Jesus, our hope is found in the one who has overcome the world, not with power, might, and sword; but with forgiveness and reconciliation.
The kingdom of God is one of peace. It often takes a lifetime to find it, but the peace of God is ready and available for those who seek it out in faith, letting go of the doubt, and choosing to keep their eyes on Jesus.
Grace & Peace,
Sam