Get out of the Boat

Matthew 14: 22-33 Jesus walks on water is section title in most Bibles. In this story Jesus gives two commands: "Don't be afraid and Come." Jesus speaks about fear in other places the one the comes quickly to mind is "fear not but believe." To Jesus, the opposite of fear is not courage, but belief, or faith. Many times Jesus will say "oh you of little faith." When we come to realize who is really in power, that is, God. we will not fear the things of this world. but we will fear God, God who claims us as his own. Again, Jesus said, "Do not be afraid, but believe." In the world around us we are being sold to love fear, and to be afraid. Terrorism, the economy, Islam, Global Warming, are just a few examples of how we are being sold on fear. We even take pleasure in fear and other negative feelings which we can in turn project on something or someone else. There is around us the understanding that we can take joy in someone else misfortune. This mentality is marketed in the Entertainment Industry and we see it in video games and movies. We know some of these names who are icons of fear, Jason, Freddie, Micheal Meyers, etc. In Matthew 8 Jesus and his disciples are going from Galilee to the pagan side of the Sea of Galilee. Here in Matthew 14 they are making a similar trip. In Matthew 8 the disciples are afraid of the storm and Jesus who is sleeping awakes and calms the storm. They ask, "who is this man that the wind and the waves obey him?" In Matthew 14, the answer is given: "Truly you are the Son of God." Notice though in today's Gospel reading Jesus is not in the boat but walking outside of it. Being outside of the boat, Jesus opens the mechanisms of fear. The fear we feel does not come from outside us, but resides fully inside us. We do not have to be afraid. The fear works in us and we use it to make ourselves afraid. We don't have to do this and Jesus does not want us to be afraid. Jesus is our Lord and if we truly believe Jesus and believe in Jesus we will not be afraid and will be able to step out of the boat and come to Jesus. The world likes to see Jesus as a buddy only. We know better and we can and will daily step out of the boat.