The Water Walker

The “Water-Walker “

As a boy, I lived with 30 other missionary kids in Africa.  Occasionally we got to go to the city pool.  That was a big deal for me.  Sometimes we would run off the edge of the pool and see how far we could go before sinking into the water.  It was a futile effort.  We would sink into the water every time.  But Jesus did something that I have never done.  He walked on water when the storm was strong and the waves were high!  The “Water-Walker”.

Matthew 14:22-25

Jesus had just fed 5,000 men, not to mention all of the women and children.  It could easily have been more than 10,000 people.  As He was in a crowd where there must have been handshakes, hugs, questions and talking to individuals all around Him. All of that must have left him exhausted, even overwhelmed.  After all the people had eaten, Jesus sent the crowd away and even sent His disciples away, so He could be alone. (v.22-23)  Apparently, He needed some rest and renewal away from people because of all that was going on.  After reading about all that Jesus had been doing I would have been looking for a hot meal, a hot shower and a comfortable bed, but in His fatigue Jesus climbed the mountain to be alone.  He didn’t climb the mountain to find a quiet place away from people so  He could sleep.  He climbed the mountain to be alone to pray.  Really? Yes, He went to pray even when He must have been exhausted. In addition there must have been a growing sense of what was ahead.

V.23 says; “When evening came”. It’s fairly safe to say that evening is between 6:00 and 9:00 PM.  He went there to be alone.  What did He do?  He prayed!

V.25 tells us that Jesus came down the mountain in the fourth watch of the night. That would have been sometime between 3:00 and 6:00 AM.  When you do the math, Jesus was in that place of prayer for at least 6 hours. 9:00 PM till 3:00 AM.  But He could have prayed from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM.  That’s 12 hours.  We don’t know exactly what time it was when Jesus went up the mountain or came down; but the point is that He prayed for a long, long time.  Why, because there was a whole lot going on in His life.

I was seeing that I needed to pray more because I needed His help and strength more than ever before.  I was busy with multiple positions and responsibilities at the church where I was on staff.  That included overseeing the adult classes that met every Sunday, which included recruiting teachers, assist as needed and encourage them to be good leaders.   I was responsible to manage the custodial crew that kept the facilities clean at the church. I was leading a young married class which involved teaching every Sunday and securing leaders for a variety of ministry positions.  I was discipling and mentoring eight young men with a one year commitment.   I was responsible to oversee 10 small groups that met each week.  I was in the middle of pursuing my Masters Degree.  I had accepted an invitation to do some itinerant speaking.  In addition I was a husband and father of two little girls.  There was a whole lot going on in my life.

Then, in the middle of all that was happening in my life, I had a grand mal seizure, had brain surgery and was diagnosed with brain cancer and given a prognosis of about 50 weeks to live.

I needed to pray.  I needed God’s help and strength to walk into a storm on top of the “water” of my circumstances.   The wind was strong and the waves seemed to be so high. 

You know, I still need to take more time to be alone with God.  I need to pray more than I have been because the waves of my life have been pretty big and my “storm”, my “waves” only seem to be getting bigger.  That’s what I needed then and that’s what I need now.  If I’m going to be a "water walker:; to walk on the water of my circumstances, I need too; I’ve got to pray more!