Daily Readings and Thought for January 12th. “COMMAND ME TO COME TO YOU”
Today Matthew’s gospel tells us of the occasion when Jesus walked on the water. Jesus had been “up on the mountain by himself praying” [Ch.14 v.23] he had “made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side,” The boat “was a long way from land beaten by the waves” [v.24]. Jesus “came to them walking on the sea.”
This was an unbelievable experience for them right outside anything they could possibly have expected. They are fearful, is this some kind of apparition? Jesus speaks to them and Peter responds, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water” [v.26]. Jesus simply says, “Come.”
“So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus” [v.29]. But then, all of a sudden the reality of the situation hits home to his human sense, “he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord save me’. Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him. ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” [v.30,31] It is most important that we take special notice of this event! Why?
When our world reaches its ultimate point of crisis with “distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves” [Luke 21 v.25] then, as we read two days ago [Ch.13 v.41] and will read again next week in more detail, “he (Jesus) will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect … “ [Ch.24 v.31] This will be an event totally outside human experience; will we do even as well as Peter? Will some be as bad as Lot’s wife who, as we read in Genesis 2 days ago, she lagged “behind him” [Ch, 19 v.26] instead of going with the angels.
We are in the boat of this world and the world is experiencing extreme situations which are now threatening to exceed previous experiences. We say we believe these predictions of Jesus, predictions which indicate it will get much worse! We will read tomorrow the comment of Jesus that “This people; honours me with their lips” which is the case today, in some countries more than others. But then Jesus adds, “but their heart is far from me” [Ch.15 v.8]. With all such, there is no likelihood they will respond to the angel, but like Lot’s sons-in-law law they will be seen to be “jesting.” Peter’s heart was fairly much fixed on Jesus – what about our hearts? How will we respond to the command to “Come”?
