If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. James 1:5-8, NIV

 

Only two people in history have ever done the physically impossible – walked on water successfully. One of them was Jesus and the other, his fired-up disciple. One rock solid and the other capricious.

 

Psalm 77:19 speaks of God treading a path through the sea, his footprints unseen. It is reminiscent of the way God opened the Red Sea to save the Israelites when they were being pursued by the Egyptians.

 

In Charles Edward Jefferson’s "Jesus the same" he writes, “Look down across the ages and see the great men, how they are swayed and tossed by the winds and storms; but there above them all rises this man of Galilee like some majestic mountain.” As I said, rock solid!

 

On the other hand, the only other man to walk on water is one known to be more impulsive. Peter, providentially, had plenty of run-ins and memories with Jesus that took place in water or at the water’s edge. He was first called to be a disciple besides the Sea of Galilee, and then when Jesus was in his boat – a miraculous catch of fish convinced Peter of his sinfulness in the face of this God-man.

 

Then, in one of the most remarkable accounts recorded in Matthew 14:22–33, Peter joins Jesus on the water. I am sure the magnitude of it would have been overshadowed by Jesus’ words to Peter as he sank, ”Why did you doubt?” Peter’s focus had drifted and all he could see was the wind that had been buffeting their boat for hours.

 

It is a vivid depiction of today’s passage from James. It clearly reveals that our steadiness is a matter of focus. When we doubt, the wind of our problems steals the steely focus we should have on God. As a result, we become like waves – unstable and double-minded. Stress, fear and anxiety are sure to follow, while calm reflection, inner peace and logical decision-making escape us.

 

I battle with “seeing the wind” sometimes, do you? What will it take for us to keep our eyes fixed on the Rock instead, solid in our faith, and assured that he will catch us no matter what.

 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, that night on the water, Peter needed saving and you were right there to lend a helping hand. Let us not forget to stand in awe of such a Saviour. Amen.