Unwavering Faith Amidst The Turbulent Waves – a Matthew 14 Story
The sun was setting on the Sea of Galilee as the disciples rowed their boat towards the other side. They had just witnessed Jesus feed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish. The miracle had left them in awe and wonder, and they were still trying to make sense of it all. Suddenly, a strong wind blew and the waves became rough, rocking the boat violently. Fear crept into their hearts as they struggled to keep the boat afloat.
In the midst of the chaos, they saw Jesus walking on water towards them. They thought it was a ghost and cried out in fear. But Jesus reassured them, saying, "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid." Peter, always the impulsive one, said, "Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water." Jesus replied, "Come."
Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus, his heart filled with excitement and faith. But as he took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the waves, he began to sink. "Lord, save me!" he cried out. Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
As they climbed back into the boat, the wind died down and the waves calmed. The disciples were amazed and worshiped Jesus, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
The next day, crowds of people came to Jesus seeking healing and miracles. The disciples were exhausted from rowing and trying to keep up with the demands of the crowd. They suggested to Jesus that he send the people away to find food for themselves. But Jesus said, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."
The disciples were taken aback. They only had five loaves of bread and two fish, and they didn’t know how they could feed such a large crowd. But Jesus blessed the food and miraculously multiplied it to feed everyone, with twelve baskets of leftovers.
As they sailed back to the other side, the disciples marveled at what they had witnessed. They had seen Jesus calm the storm, walk on water, and feed thousands of people with just a few loaves and fish. They knew without a doubt that he was the Son of God, and their faith in him grew stronger with each passing moment.
In Matthew 14:31, Jesus says to Peter, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" This verse reminds us that faith can waver in the midst of turbulent waves, but Jesus is always there to catch us when we call out to him. May we have unwavering faith in Jesus, even in the midst of life’s storms, knowing that he is the Son of God and the one who can calm the waves and multiply our loaves and fish.