This was a test given to the disciples. Jesus had sent them out with power. Their ministry had been confirmed and authenticated by the hand of God working through them. They had now been taught that Jesus was the expected Messiah, promised throughout all the prophetic centuries. So He tests them to see how they are doing.
He sends them out into a storm—alone. He is not with them in the boat. He goes up into the hills to pray. How many of the storms of our lives are made up of these two elements—trouble comes to us with overwhelming force, and the seeming absence of the Lord? Nevertheless, there is One up on the hillside praying for us.
After several hours of storm and the disciples were in deep distress, Jesus comes to them, walking on the water. When they see Him they are scared, because they think He is a ghost. He has to reassure them: “It—that thing you see that scares you to death—it is Me; don’t be afraid.” How many times does Jesus have to say that to us? That thing that scares us, frightens us—“It’s Me; don’t be afraid.” He got into the boat, and they were absolutely astounded! With regard to this test, they failed.
For the second time, now, the eyes of the disciples are opened to who Jesus is…and they begin to listen. This opens the door for some of our Lord's greatest teaching to His disciples regarding why He came.
“Who is this?” Who sends the storms into our lives? Who tests us? Who gives us a promise and then sends us out to see if we believe what we teach or what we say? It is the Lord Himself. This is what Jesus is doing with us. He is training us, teaching us, preparing us, building into our lives, so that we might be people of faith, confident and calm and able to cope with life.
When our lives are outwardly commendable, but our faith and spiritual perception is weak, we must be prepared for God to test us, strengthen us, train us, and make us teachable.
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