Matthew 14:25-27 ESV And in the 4th watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
Jesus had done a great miracle in feeding thousands of people with a small boy’s lunch. Then he sends the disciples on to the next thing. Now in this passage He catches up with them, albeit in an unexpected fashion. God doing the unexpected should not surprise us. He regularly does things that we don’t foresee or in ways we didn’t predict.
When I read these verses four questions came to mind. 1) Do we recognize God when He does something new? 2) Are we frightened when God does something new? 3) Do we ever mistake God for something else? 4) Do we recognize God when He speaks?
God does new things. Many Christians put God in a box by believing that He can/will only do the things He has done before. Most of the big events in the Bible were God doing something new. With Abraham, God for the first time chose one family to be singled out for special attention. The Law God gave to Moses was the first time He had created a formal religion or the framework for a nation. Jesus death and resurrection was the first time God redeemed the whole human race. In Acts, God for the first time poured His Spirit into humans.
God also does new things in our lives. If we do not expect God to do something new we can miss His move. If we limit God to what he has already done, then we limit the awesome things God wants to do in us and through us.
When God does do something new, does it scare us? Because the disciples had never seen Jesus walk on water before, they were frightened. When God wants to take us to a new place or in a new direction, it can be scary for us. New experiences, new ministries, deeper relationships are almost by definition out of our comfort zone. Yet, letting God draw us where He wants is exciting and fulfilling, even when it is terrifying.
The disciples at first mistook Jesus for a ghost. Since they didn’t expect to see Jesus strolling through the storm, they thought He was something else. This has happened to me on several occasions. One example is that after nine years on the mission field, God called me back to America to pastor a small church. Since it was something I really wanted to do, I mistook the calling for my own desire. I resisted the call for a while because I thought it was a temptation rather than a blessing.
That is why it is so important to know God’s voice. When Jesus realized the disciples’ mistake, He spoke to assure them. Once they realized who He was, they stopped being afraid. Peter even asked to be allowed to join Jesus in the miracle (more on that next time).
When I mistook God’s call to return to USA for a temptation, He was patient with me. Eventually I had the sense to pray about it and felt the peace that I’ve grown to know means that I am in God’s will. Recognizing God’s “voice” through the peace freed me to go where God wanted me.
If we expect God to do new things, then we won’t be so surprised when it happens. That expectation will also help us not be afraid when it happens. When we do mistake God for something else, knowing His voice will enable us to discern the truth and be able to follow where God leads.
Lord, You are awesome and creative. You are constantly moving and working in our lives. Help us to see what You are doing and faithfully follow where You lead so that we can always be in Your will.