In this passage, we hear the astounding story of Jesus walking on water to help his desciples. As background, Jesus was seeking a resting place for his desciples as they had been hard at work with little time to even eat. Aiming for a secluded place, Jesus and the desciples traveled to a destination by boat only to find that thousands had followed their direction from on land and arrived ahead of them. Late in the day, the desciples came to Jesus to ask if the followers could be sent to nearby villages to buy food. Jesus, instead, performs the miracle of making 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish feed all 5000 followers. Then, returning to his original intent of finding rest for his desciples, Jesus sends the desciples off in the boat ahead of him so that he could say farewell to the crowd of followers.
Sometime later that evening, Jesus sees from a mountain top that he ascended to pray, the desciples struggling to row against strong headwinds. He chooses to visit them in the early morning by walking out on the water. They are afraid when they see him but he reassures them saying, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." Though he'd not originally intended to do so, Jesus joins them in the boat and, upon doing so, the winds immediately stop. The desciples, understandably, "were utterly astounded".
What I find most moving about this passage is how succinctly it characterizes Jesus's compassion and support and his choice to lead alongside and amongst his desciples and followers rather than from a place of separation and difference. This is such a blessing and one I am ever grateful for. To know Jesus is with us and will choose to sit alongside us when the winds and waters rage is perhaps the greatest of comforts.
But let us take note in this passage that this comfort, this blessing, accompanies those who dedicate themselves to doing the work of Jesus and spreading his Word. We are called upon to be active in our discipleship and to be missional in carrying out our ministry into our neighborhood and beyond. May we each take the coals stoked within us through our Sunday worship and nurture them into a light we can eminate and share in acts little and big in our daily lives.
