Don’t Make Your Problems Bigger Than Your God
When Peter walked on water not only were the seas turbulent,
but so were the times. John the Baptist had just been beheaded. Those who
believed he was a prophet were distraught.
After the execution of John, the people turned to Jesus. This is how
5000 men, plus their women and children, came to be fed with five loaves of
bread and two fish found among the throngs in the hands of a small child.
These were also superstitious times. Herod, who had executed
John the Baptist told his attendants that Jesus was John raised from the dead;
Herod attributed the miracle working power of Christ to the resurrected spirit
of John the Baptist. The crowd was following Jesus because they had seen the
miracles He continually performed upon those who were sick. And, as the feast
of the Passover was approaching, Jesus knew this crowd of followers meant to seize
Him and make Him their king; yet, it was Herod who was the ruthless Roman king
of Judea and the Jews.
These were times characterized by conflict, disorder, and
confusion. Times that were neither controlled nor calm, just like the seas that
Peter would walk upon. The feast of the Passover was approaching, and this
meant so was the crucifixion of Christ. The times of Christ were at a climatic
crescendo, increasing in their intensity; and Jesus' disciples, including
Peter, were surrounded by this turbulence.
It was in the midst of these difficult times that Peter, the
disciple who would deny Jesus Christ three times in one night in the near
future, walked upon water surrounded by stormy seas. It was Peter, with the
other disciples, Christ directed to get into the boat and go before Him to the
other side, while He sent the crowds away and went up into the hills by Himself
to pray. It was Peter, a fisherman who knew the sight of an approaching storm
that would evoke stormy seas, who obediently got into the boat with the others.
And, it was Peter who Jesus would reach out His hand to catch and hold as he
sank in the stormy seas, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you
doubt?”
After saying this very thing to Peter, it was the same
Christ Jesus who would say to Peter in the next breath of the Bible, “You are
Peter, a huge rock like Gibraltar; and on this rock I will build My church, and
the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. I will give you the keys to the
kingdom of heaven.” And the same Christ who would immediately, in the next
breath of Scripture, turn away from Peter and say to him, “Get behind me,
Satan! You are in my way; for you are minding what partakes not of the nature
and quality of God, but of men.”
I think Jesus was controversial with Peter because he was
building the character and faith of Peter to be like the rock of Gibraltar. In
this time nearing Jesus Christ's crucifixion on the cross at Calvary, He was
preparing Peter for his God-given destiny, and that was to be the rock upon
which to build His church. He was teaching Peter to keep his focus not on his
circumstances, but on Him, Jesus the Christ.
When Peter kept his focus on Jesus Christ, he walked on
water; when he perceived and felt the strong winds of his circumstances, he sank
to the point of sure death. But, Peter cried out, “Lord, save me!” And instantly,
Jesus reached out His hand and caught Peter. Then, they got into the boat, the
wind ceased, and the boat crossed to the other side.
How does this relate to you and me? God allows us to go
through bad times to bring us into something better. He allows storms to come
against us to make us rock strong in our faith. Some things can only be learned
in the storm; yet the storm can only take us where God allows.
So, don't focus on your circumstances, but keep your eyes
focused on Christ; don't make your problems bigger than your God; don’t slip
into the seas. He will calm the storms in your life, and He will take you to
the other side. Turbulence is part of our destiny to get us where we are
supposed to be. Don't be afraid of those seas. Stand strong!
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