All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you." – John 16:15

Today's Scripture Reading (February 14, 2024): John 16

After Jesus fed the 5000, John tells us that the people wanted to seize Jesus and make him King, so Jesus slipped away from the crowd, which included his disciples. That evening, Jesus's followers started back toward the other side of the lake we know of as the Sea of Galilee. For the Twelve, that meant getting into a boat and beginning to make a water crossing. While they were crossing, a storm came up on the water. Storms on the Sea of Galilee were common and often seemed to come out of nowhere. This storm left the disciples fighting hard against the waves, but the boat wasn't getting any closer to their destination. Suddenly, a figure is seen coming toward them across the water. The disciples were scared (I have to admit that I think I would be too). But Jesus calls out to them from the waves: It's okay, it's me. 

It was speaking into this situation that Peter responded to this ghost walking on the waves and stepping out of the storm, "Lord if it's you, then allow me to walk on the water and come to you" (Matthew 14:28).

I can almost see the smile on Jesus's face as he responds to Peter. "Come!" And Peter steps out of the boat and takes those first few hesitant steps on top of the waves. He is doing it. He is Peter, the man who walked on top of the waves with Jesus. But then, Peyer took his eyes off Jesus and looked down at the water. And Peter began to sink. I still see Jesus's smile as he reaches down and picks Peter out of the water. "You of little faith. Why did you doubt" (Matthew 14:31)?

I am convinced that the Christian Faith is designed to be lived among the waves. I know we sometimes expect to live in the calm; after all, we have the power of God in our lives. But that makes no sense to me. What good is Superman's power to fly if he never uses it? Or Spiderman's web-shooting if he never spins a web or uses those same webs to fly between the buildings or restrain a criminal. God in our lives means that we, too, have the power to walk through the storms of life.

But, if we are going to live our Christianity among the waves, that practice requires a presence beyond ourselves. Peter needed Jesus, and we need the Holy Spirit who guides and speaks to us with the words and knowledge of Jesus.

As Jesus prepares to leave, he gives them this promise: there is one coming who will be with you forever. There is so much I need to tell you, but you can't handle it right now. I will send one to you who will be your counselor forever, who will guide you. He will give you what I have made known to him so that you, too, can walk amid the storms that come up as we journey through this life.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: John 17