Everyday Miracles

August 8, 2020 Matthew 14:22-33 Everyday life is the miracle 10th Sunday After Pentecost Prelude Welcome Opening Prayer Opening Prayer Almighty and most gracious God, we give you thanks for this day and for calling us here to your place of worship. We gather to praise your name, for your faithfulness endures from generation to generation. Signs of your faithfulness are all around us: love, mercy, forgiveness, new life, and the gifts of your Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Help us claim your faithfulness as we seek to increase our faithfulness to you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Stewardship Moment Invitation to the Offering There are many ways to respond to God's faithfulness, love, and mercy in our lives. We come now, seeking to be faithful disciples of Jesus, and to respond to God through our tithes, gifts, and offerings. Invitation to the Word (Matthew 14, Genesis 37) God does not ask us for too many leaps of faith, but for small steps that help us stay with God every day. Our scriptures today touch on familiar themes: fear, betrayal, lies, jealousy, and envy, but mostly, on the amazing faithfulness of God. Scripture Matthew 14:22-33 Walking on the water 22 Right then, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side of the lake while he dismissed the crowds. 23 When he sent them away, he went up onto a mountain by himself to pray. Evening came and he was alone. 24 Meanwhile, the boat, fighting a strong headwind, was being battered by the waves and was already far away from land. 25 Very early in the morning he came to his disciples, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” They were so frightened they screamed. 27 Just then Jesus spoke to them, “Be encouraged! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” 28 Peter replied, “Lord, if it’s you, order me to come to you on the water.” 29 And Jesus said, “Come.” Then Peter got out of the boat and was walking on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when Peter saw the strong wind, he became frightened. As he began to sink, he shouted, “Lord, rescue me!” 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him, saying, “You man of weak faith! Why did you begin to have doubts?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind settled down. 33 Then those in the boat worshipped Jesus and said, “You must be God’s Son!” Sermon Now I Know Why Jesus Walked! This is a familiar story. Mark Twain refers to it in one of his books. He recalls a visit to the Holy Land and a stay in Capernaum. It was a moonlit night, so he decided to take his wife on a romantic boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Twain asked a man in a rowboat how much he would charge to take them out on the water. The man saw Twain's white suit, white shoes and white hat and supposed he was a rich Texan. So he said the cost would be twenty-five dollars. Twain walked away as he said, "Now I know why Jesus walked." David Leininger, Stay in the Boat!, www.eSermons.com Very rarely, if ever have I stuck with the same lesson in the lectionary all summer. But this year, I think that the lessons that we learn from Matthew are important for our faith. As a matter of fact, a little later in the year I am planning on going off of the lectionary path in Matthew and talk about some passages that are covered. But today, our lesson is about Jesus walking on water, while his disciples are in the boat. This passage is covered in Matthew, Mark, and John but not in Luke. This story is always paired with the story of Jesus feeding the 5000. One reason that I probably don’t preach on these two stories, is because they are both miracle stories that are hard for a modern audience to digest. If Jesus is the son of David, how do you explain him feeding 5000 people with five loaves and two fish? If Jesus was a man, how can you say that he had the ability to walk on water? Did this story really happen as the gospel writers said it happen or is it symbolic. For some Christians, everything in the bible is literal, some think it is just a book of good stories. As I studied for this sermon, I reached the conclusion that the lesson that Jesus was trying to teach his disciples, the lesson that Matthew was trying to teach us is far more important than rather it really happened or not. Remember, Jesus had been working with his disciples to train him to expand his ministry and to help others. Sometimes Jesus is just talking to those in the church, and sometimes Jesus is talking with everyone. Jesus decides that it is time to take the disciples across the lake and to deal with the people. But before he needs a moment to pray and to deal with the death of his cousin John. There are actually on two times in Matthew that Jesus needs to be alone to pray to God. This time, and in the garden of Gethsemane before he is crucified. Of course while Jesus is on land praying, the disciples are in a boat in the middle of the night, in the middle of a lake. A storm arrives that makes them a little nervous. It is not the storm that frightens them, it is seeing Jesus coming to them on the water. The Greek says that Jesus is on the water, but there is some debate as the whether he is walking on the water, or on the shore. Either way – we all know the next part, Peter tries to talk on water and falls. We have all heard this story before, and we all know the symbolism of the story. The water represents the world, storms represent the circumstances of the world, the boat is the church, and Peter represents all of the faithful people trying to follow Jesus. In Jewish understanding of life, water can never be trusted. Water is a necessary part of life, we need it to survive. We can get fish and good things out of it, but bodies of water like a river or lake is always dangerous. Apparently, the Lake they were on, the Sea of Galilee was particularly dangerous. It was susceptible to turbulent and unexpected storms. Jesus as the Son of God has the power to calm the storms and to control the wind and water. The church is the boat, our safe place on the water. The sanctuary, the safe space to come in out of the storm. The place that we can all travel together and to safely triumph over the troubles of life. Peter represents ministry – sometimes we have to get out of the boat in order to deal with life. There should be a little bit of Peter in all of us. We are all called out the safety of the boat in order to make the world a better place for others. Today I want to take us a little beyond that traditional definition of this story. Some would say that Peter was bold because he was willing to try to walk on water. Some would say that being in ministry is being willing to take risk in order to follow Jesus. Steve Martens is a pastor who noticed something interesting about this passage. When Jesus us tempted by the devil, the devil says to Jesus, if you really are the son of God like you say, then do something stupid. He dares Jesus to turn stones into bread. And then he dares Jesus to jump off of a roof so the angels will catch him. Jesus realizes that he does not have to do dumb things in order to prove who he is. Common sense still prevails. In this text, Peter kinda repeats that pattern. He says Jesus, if it is really you, then allow me to do something stupid like walk on water. Now this is Steve’s words not mine – He says he doesn’t know who is stupider – Peter for asking to do something he knows is impossible, or Jesus for putting his hand out and encouraging it. I am not going to be the one to call Jesus stupid but.. Jesus words to the devil was that thou should not tempt God. Even when we know that God can do anything. We have been given common sense to do the right thing. None of us can walk on water. Believing in miracles, still does not make that possible. Steve Martens points out that Peter grew in faith, and he was able to do all that Jesus could do. He never walked on water. And once he failed, he never tried again. Maybe being faithful is not always about taking risk, especially in a dangerous situation. But faith is always about getting back up once we fall. We Fall Down and We Get Up There is an old story about an Italian peasant who bumped into a monk who lived in a monastery high on the hill. The peasant seized the opportunity to question the monk about their daily routines at this holy shrine. “What do you men of God do up there on the mountain so close to God?” she asked. The monk replied, “We fall down and we get up, we fall down and we get up, we fall down and we get up.” Failure is not our ultimate enemy anymore than success is our ultimate goal. J. Howard Olds, Faith Breaks, www.Sermons.com Some of my greatest lessons in life have been in my failures. When I fell, I was determined to get back up and to try again. It is in getting up and trying again, I became a stronger person. The dialogue between Jesus and Peter is important as Peter falls into the water. Peter tells Jesus that if he commands it, he can walk on water. Peter recognized that when God calls us to do something that God will provide the resources to make it happen. Jesus does tell Peter to come, but he never gives Peter control over the wind and water to walk in water. Later when he rescues Peter and puts him back in the boat with the other disciples, Jesus says – you Man of little faith, why did you doubt. That is why Peter represent us all – all of us are like Peter, we have a little bit of faith and a little bit of fear. And sometimes we even have a lot of doubt. I think we all have those moments when we are focused and everything is going okay and then we get discouraged and stop. All of us are being faithful and attending church, participating, and being a disciple, and them the pandemic comes along, the church is closed and we get out of the habit. We pray for healing about an issue and yet we don’t take our medicine, we pray for the wellbeing and safety of our children, and yet we do not take the time to teach them important lessons, we say we want a peaceful just world, but we don’t speak out about injustice. We live our lives filled with anxiety, fears, and uncertainties. The good news for us is that Jesus does not say that we are people of no faith, we are people of little faith. And a little faith is all that we need. The miracle of this story is not so much that Jesus walked on water. The miracle of the story is that Jesus came to his disciples in their time of need. Peter didn’t make it to Jesus, but Jesus came to him. It was in his failure that he came closer to God. Faith is not about believing in magic. Everyday Miracles Kentucky farmer and philosopher Wendell Berry is a poet who consistently invites us to look again at the everyday, common things of life. He makes the case that turning water into wine is a relatively small miracle compared to turning water (and soil and sunlight) into grapes. Many times we are so transfixed by the humongous miracles God is capable of that we forget the humble, everyday miracles that go on all around us. Wendell Berry's way of putting this is: "We are alive within mystery, by miracle." (Life is a Miracle: An Essay Against Modern Superstition [Washington, D.C.: Counterpoint, 2000], 45). Leonard Sweet, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Water Walkers I'll bet every one of us this morning can think of some remarkable water-walkers we have known. We all have watched simple, straight-forward, hard-working men and women, little toddlers and tormented teens, the shut-in elders and the shut-out homeless, perform acts in their lives that defy the limitations of the world in which they live. The chemotherapy patient who gets out of bed, puts on clean clothes, picks up the house, before going for treatment . . . What are they doing but walking on water? The homeless woman who sleeps in a box, gleans food from dumpsters, but still smiles a greeting and laughs at a joke . . . What is she doing but walking on water? The single parent, overworked, overwhelmed, over-extended in time, money, and energy, but makes it to soccer games and school plays and checks to see that homework is done . . . What is that harried parent doing but walking on water? The octogenarian who lives alone, whose family has forgotten him, who counts the postal carrier and the water-meter reader as "company," but still is up and dressed by 8am and sits at the table for all his meals . . . What is he doing but walking on water? Leonard Sweet, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com The story ends with Jesus taking Peter and putting him safely back in the boat. The winds calm down and the disciples realize that God is truly with them. If the church is the boat, where are we today? Are we sailing smoothly, facing rough waters, rowing for our lives, or are we headed to the other side to serve others and invite them into the boat.? Let us pray….. Prayer Pastoral Prayer Life seems to get crazy sometimes. We love the smooth times when all is well, but, O Lord, we have serious problems with wind and waves. We want you to “fill our sails with a lovely breeze that guides our little boats across the glassy sea”; but you know that life isn’t just glassy seas and gentle breezes. Sometimes things get rough. Help us place our trust in you during all these rough times. You call to us to reach out, to take our focus off our own panic and place our trust in your love. Then you ask us to reach out to others with the same kind of love and compassion that you have given to us. Today we have come to you with burdens and cares. Our “seas” are not calm, but you offer to us a lifeline. Be with us. Guide our lives. Give us courage and hope. Strengthen us to truly be your disciples. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. AMEN. Moment of Reflection Stand By Me - UMH 512 Announcements Benediction Praise Sentences (Matthew 14) Jesus calls, "Come, get out of the boat. Take that step of faith." Thank you, Jesus, for the invitation! Jesus calls, "Come, be my disciples." Thank you, Jesus, for the invitation! Jesus calls, "Even if you think you're not good enough: come be my disciples." Thank you, Jesus, for the invitation! Jesus calls, "Come be my disciples." Here I am, Lord. Praise your holy name! Children’s Sermon Object: an umbrella Good morning, boys and girls. Have you ever been caught out in a thunderstorm? It's scary, isn't it? The thunder is booming, the lightning is flashing, the wind is howling, the rain is pouring down. (Might want to make some sound effects here) Can you sound like a thunderstorm? (Give them a few seconds to let loose with their sound effects) Wow, that's scary! I bet most of your mommies and daddies carry an umbrella in their car. They keep the umbrella with them, even on sunny days, just in case it happens to rain. Of course, the umbrella can protect us from the rain and the wind, but it doesn't stop us from being afraid in a storm, does it? Our Bible story today is about a great big storm. Jesus' followers, the disciples, were out on their boat, fishing, when a great, big storm kicked up. All the disciples were really scared. Then they saw the strangest thing. Jesus was walking across the water of the lake, walking right toward their boat! And when Jesus got to the boat, He said, "Cheer up! Don't be afraid!" Jesus wasn't afraid of the storm. And once the disciples were with Jesus, they weren't afraid either. They knew everything would be okay with Him there. Sometimes we may feel like we have storms in our life. When we just had a fight with a friend, when we did something we know we shouldn't have done, when we said something that made our mommy or daddy mad that can make us feel all scared and confused just like a thunderstorm. But we don't have to be afraid. Jesus is always with us. Just like our parents carry an umbrella with them in case of rain, we can carry Jesus with us wherever we go. We can carry Him in our hearts. Remember next time you're afraid or sad that Jesus is in your heart, and with His help, we don't have to be afraid of anything. Dynamic Preaching, Collected Sermons, by King Duncan Additional Illustrations Sermon Opener – Fear – Matthew 14:22-33 In the story of creation found in the Book of Genesis, we read where Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit, something which had been specifically denied them. Knowing that God is searching for them, they attempt to hide. It is a scene perhaps reminiscent of many of our childhoods when we had done something that we were not supposed to and we literally hid from our searching parents. Finally God finds them, as we know that He will, for, after all, where can we go to hide from God? God asks them why they are hiding. Do you remember the response that Adam gave: “Because, I was afraid?” I think this very poignant story reminds us that fear is so basic to whom we are as humans, it goes all the way back to the beginning of time. To be human is to experience fear. There seems to be no limit to our fears. In a peanuts cartoon strip Charlie Brown goes to Lucy for a nickels worth of psychiatric help. She proceeds to pinpoint his particular ‘fear’. Perhaps, she says, you have hypengyophobia, which is the fear of responsibility. Charlie Brown says no. Well, perhaps you have ailurophobia, which is the fear of cats. No. Well, maybe you have climacophobia, which is the fear of staircases. No. Exasperated, Lucy says well, maybe you have pantophobia, which is the fear of everything. Yes, says Charles, that is the one! Sometimes we feel like we are afraid of everything. We are afraid of ourselves. We are afraid of people. We are afraid of the future. We are afraid of the past. We are afraid of life. We are afraid of death. Every person, every Christian, must fight their own fears. Even Paul, the sturdy Christian warrior, had to do so... Dancing in the Wind - Matthew 14:22-33 We live in an embattled time. Conflicts in politics, problems with economics, and a global pandemic have put the icing on the proverbial cake of usual issues. Most of us already feel we are up to our necks in alligators. Now we have entered hurricane season to boot. How much more can we take? How much longer can we fight? Let’s face it. We are a tired, fatigued, tense, and nervous bunch right now. Just when we think we’ve ridden the final wave another rises up and heads right toward us. What shall we do? When I think of prepping and preparing for adverse conditions, I think of athletes. Athletes train themselves not only physically, but mentally and spiritually, in order to accomplish ever more rigorous feats. Runners in particular have an entire body of literature on how to excel in this endorphin-boosting sport. I like to call their oeuvre “runners’ wisdom.” A lot of runners’ wisdom is simply common sense. Drink water before you run. Warm up and stretch. Push harder every day but don’t overdo it. Wear good shoes. Trust what your body is telling you. Let your instincts guide you. But one of the best articles I found written by Jonathan Beverly of “Runner’s World” is about how to run in a headwind. Beverly explains that most of us, when we are running against the wind, tend to work harder, push more, bear down, tense up. This causes tension, fatigue, and exasperation. Instead, he explains, we must do exactly the opposite: lean in, relax, and allow the wind to dictate the pace. We must “dance in the wind.” Beverly learned this lesson not from other runners but from hawks he saw flying above the fields. He noticed that the raptors did not struggle against the headwinds, but they used the wind to do a kind of mid-air dance. They circled, they swooped, they twirled, they dove. They relaxed and played in the wind. Their goal was not measured progress but play and enjoyment. They were masters at seizing the moment and “going with the flow.” Adapting to the wind. Adapting to life. Like Jonathan Beverly, we too could learn some lessons from the birds when it comes to dealing with the hurricanes and wind-gusts of life... Hanging by an Inch There is a character in the classic work Don Quixote named Pancho Sanchez. Pancho Sanchez hangs in fear from the ledge of a window all night long, too frightened to let go. When morning dawns he discovers his toes are only an inch off the ground. It's amusing to think of Simon Peter climbing out of the boat trying to imitate his Lord by walking on the water. Then, like a cartoon character, he makes the mistake of looking around. "What in the world am I doing?" he asked himself and suddenly he begins to sink. How often that happens in life. People are charting a successful course in their business, in their marriage, in their walk with Christ, and then they begin to listen to their fears. "What if I fail? What if the market fails? What if my faith is misplaced?" and they begin slowly to sink. King Duncan, Barking Pigs and Determined Disciples Motorcycle Churches Even churches can know what it is to walk on the water. Wes Seliger is an unconventional Episcopal clergyman who loves motorcycles. He tells about being in a motorcycle shop one day, drooling over a huge Honda 750 and wishing that he could buy it. A salesman came over and began to talk about his product. He talked about speed, acceleration, excitement, the attention-getting growl of the pipes, racing, risk. He talked about how the good-looking girls would be attracted to anyone riding on such a cycle. Then he discovered that Wes was a minister. It always happens, doesn't it? Immediately the salesman changed his language and even the tone of his voice. He spoke quietly and talked about good mileage and visibility. It was indeed a "practical" vehicle. Wes observed: "Lawnmower salespersons are not surprised to find clergypersons looking at their merchandise; motorcycle salespersons are. Why? Does this tell us something about clergypersons and about the church? Lawnmowers are slow, safe, sane, practical, and middle-class. Motorcycles are fast, dangerous, wild, thrilling." Then Wes asks a question: "Is being a Christian more like mowing a lawn or like riding a motorcycle? Is the Christian life safe and sound or dangerous and exciting?" He concludes, "The common image of the church is pure lawnmower--slow, deliberate, plodding. Our task is to take the church out on the open road, give it the gas, and see what the old baby will do!" Is our church a lawn mower church or a motorcycle church? Maybe it's time we took more risks for God. King Duncan, Don’t Look Down, www.eSermons.com Sermon Opener - The True Feng Shui Life- Matthew 14:22-33 by Leonard Sweet Our world has been shaped by one image. It may be the most powerful image to come out of the 20thcentury. If you were asked about the most important image of the 20thcentury, what would you pick? Here is my pick . . . [if you use screens]. The one picture that did the most to transform our perception of this world was that look-back at Earth from the tiny port-hole window in the first Apollo mission to the moon. Dangling in the bleak blackness of space was this beautiful blue-ball planet — with swirling seas and a wispy atmosphere. The wonder and fragility of life on our singular planet was immediately made real to anyone and everyone. The blue of our seas, and the so-blue of our skies, is a direct result of the miracle of life. A recent Discovery Channel program on continental development showed how nasty-looking our waters used to be. Ever come upon an old dumping site where abandoned cars and other junk had been left to a watery grave? The standing water is an unlovely toxic looking greenish brown. The iron oxides leaching into the water create this green muck. Before the wonder of tiny organisms practicing their magic of photosynthesis, all of our oceans looked like that brackish water. Rich in iron, the seas were ghastly green and blighted brown. It took the release of oxygen into the water to gradually transform the color and content of the ocean. And as the huge water masses changed to blue, so did their reflected image in our skies. God’s gift of life is what made us a blue planet. We are still waterborne creatures, drawn to water both for its life-giving properties and because of its untamable power. When we want to “get away,” we do what Jesus did: we hang out at the water — a beach, a lake, a river (for him it was the Sea of Galilee). The closest Jesus came to picking a place to live was the freshwater lake, fifteen miles long and eight miles wide, known as Lake Tiberius, or as we know it, the “Sea of Galilee.” 650 below sea level, the beautiful green hills around Lake Tiberius peak at sea level. And on a clear day, you can see in the distance snow-capped Mount Hermon in Lebanon. A sign on the wall of a small seaside cottage reads “A waterfront view isn’t a matter of life; it is much more important than that!” But here’s the thing about water; and here’s the thing about your life too: water has to be on the move in order to sustain and propagate life. Standing still, water quickly stagnates, becomes brackish, and turns into a watery tomb, even for water creatures. Ever have the pump or “bubbler” in your aquarium conk out? If you don’t get the water moving again quickly, your goldfish are goners! The churning action of the ocean waves, the rushing rapids in a river, the powerful currents that constantly mix and stir the depths of the seas: these are what keep our waters vital, vibrant, life-giving, life-sustaining. For healing to take place, the waters must be “troubled,” “stirred up,” “moving.” (Remember the pool of Bethesda?) To accomplish all this movement the winds of the air partner with the watery surfaces of the sea and keep life going. Wind and water work and play together to make life possible. For a bunch of fishermen, the disciples have always seemed to me to have a pretty poor relationship with the sea. Perhaps it was a lifetime of seeing first hand how those watery depths could both give and take life that inspired the disciples’ fears…. We Need a Sign Rabbi Feldman had been having trouble with his congregation. It seemed they could agree upon nothing, and controversy filled the air until the Sabbath itself became an area of conflict, and unhappiness filled the synagogue. The president of the congregation organized a meeting of 10 elders and the rabbi. They met in the conference room of the synagogue, sitting about a magnificent mahogany table. One by one the issues were dealt with and on each issue, it became more and more apparent that the rabbi was a lonely voice in the wilderness. The president said, "Come, Rabbi, enough of this. Let us vote and allow the majority to rule." He passed out the slips of paper, and each man made his mark. The slips were collected and the president said, "You may examine them, Rabbi. It is 11 to one against you. We have the majority." Whereupon the rabbi rose to his feet, "So", he said, "You now think because of the vote that you are right and I am wrong. Well, I stand here -- and he raised his arms impressively -- and call upon the Holy One of Israel to give us a sign that I am right and you are wrong." Suddenly, there came a frightful crack of thunder and a brilliant flash of lightning that struck the mahogany table and cracked it in two. The room was filled with smoke and the president and the elders were hurled to the floor. But the rabbi was untouched, his eyes flashing and a grim smile on his face. Slowly, the president lifted himself above what was left of the table. His hair was singed, his glasses were hanging from one ear, and his clothing was in disarray. He said, "All right, 11 to two. We still have the majority." Peter needed a sign that it was Jesus walking on the water. Jesus honored his desire by granting him the power to walk on the water. Then Peter took his eyes off Jesus and allowed the storm to grip him with fear, and he began to sink. "Lord, save me!" There are times in our lives when we need a sign from God. There are times when we take our eyes off Jesus. There are times when we feel we are sinking into the darkness of despair. This story teaches us that, even in the midst of our need for a sign, even in the midst of our doubts,….it is okay to cry out, "Lord, save me!" And God will reach out to us, and with a strong grip, pull us out of the pit, and away from the storm, into the calmness of his presence. Jon S. Dawson __________________________________________ Taking Risks Writer Dale Galloway tells about the two giant retailers in America right after World War II that made two very different decisions affecting their separate destinies. One was Sears Roebuck and Company while the other was Montgomery Ward. The leadership of Ward's expected that after the war an economic depression would come, so they refused to take any risk in expanding. Meanwhile, the leadership of Sears determined that there was going to be economic growth such as America had never seen before. So they went out and expanded into new markets all over the world. As a result, Sears soared ahead while Ward's fell far behind. Sears risked failure, and thus gained greater success. Of course, new challengers to the throne come along and now even Sears struggles against the likes of Wal-Mart and Target. What's true in business is true in all of life: There comes a time when you must step out of the boat. King Duncan, Barking Pigs and Determined Disciples Tourist Walk on Water Some years ago some enterprising capitalist was planning to build a bridge on the Sea of Galilee at the site of today's reading. What makes this project unique is that it is not being built OVER the water. It is being built UNDER the water. A 28th foot long floating bridge will be submerged 2 inches below the surface so that pilgrims and tourists will be able to "walk on the water" just as Jesus did. Perhaps their next project should be to build a hot air balloon on the Mount of Olives so that tourists will be able to imitate Jesus' ascension into heaven! What the bridge builders do not understand is that this gospel is not about Jesus trying to impress anyone with his ability to walk on water. It is about his willingness to overcome any obstacle to reach out to those in need of him. Jerry Gentile Humor: The Ferry Only Costs 25 Cents There is an old story that has often been re-told, especially in the Eastern Orthodox part of the church. According to the tale, a devout abbot from a monastery decided to take a prolonged spiritual retreat in a small cabin located on a remote island in the middle of a large lake. He told his fellow monks that he wanted to spend his days in prayer so as to grow closer to God. For six months he remained on the island with no other person seeing him or hearing from him in all that time. But then one day, as two monks were standing near the shore soaking up some sunshine, they could see in the distance a figure moving toward them. It was the abbot, walking on water, and coming toward shore. After the abbot passed by the two monks and continued on to the monastery, one of the monks turned to the other and said, "All these months in prayer and our brother is still as stingy as ever. After all, the ferry only costs25 cents!" Humor aside, the point of the story is that it's amazing how easily we may sometimes miss the significance of something that is right in front of us. It’s the kind of thing that could motivate one to take a fresh look at even the very familiar, like the story in Matthew 14 about Jesus (and then Peter) walking on water. Scott Hoezee, Comments and Observations Stepping Out of Airplanes I had a classmate at an evangelical Christian college who repeatedly defined faith as "stepping out of airplanes, knowing that God will catch you." My response was that surely God had better things to do than catch folks stupid enough to step out of airplanes. Matthew’s story of Jesus walking on the water with Peter can spawn bad theologies. Peter’s escapade can be-come evidence that God asks us to demonstrate faith by taking pointless risks. Or Jesus’ reproof, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" can lead to belief that if our faith is only strong enough, no harm will befall us. Setting the bar that high for faith can result in feeling afraid to admit our fears and doubts to others, ourselves and God. Further, when bad things happen -- and they will -- we may believe that our lack of faith caused this harm or that God isn’t powerful enough or compassionate enough to protect us. When my son Sean was a toddler, we often took him to the playground. He began to step off the wooden climbing structures -- and into thin air. Experience had taught him that someone was always there to catch him whether he fell down the stairs or jumped off the bed. Thankfully, he gave up this practice of stepping into thin air, not because he suffered any harm, but very likely because he tired of hearing his mother shriek, "You’re going to kill yourself!" My college classmate overstated the case: God does not call us to stop thinking or to risk our lives and welfare pointlessly But my classmate may have seen something of what my son Sean demonstrated: a sense of safety so deep that we can be, for a time, beyond anxiety. Amy B. Hunter, Stepping Out, article in The Christian Century, July 26, 2005, p.19. Blizzard Stories Everybody loves to talk about the weather. Garrison Keillor loves to talk about "the winter of '65." He says that in describing the storms of that year, truth is only the starting point. The snow, the wind, the cold temperatures, yup, it was a miserable year, 1965. Keillor said that one night, it snowed so hard that he had to drive with his car door open so that he could follow the tracks in the snow; and he drove two miles before he realized that the track he was following was made by his own front tire. Here's Another: In November of 1940, the Mother of All Blizzards struck Minnesota with a vengeance. That autumn day started out balmy enough, but in the early afternoon, the temperature plummeted and the blizzard roared. The Twin Cities got 17 inches of snow; 27 inches in St. Cloud. Farmers were caught unprepared in their fields, and hunters were stranded in their duck blinds. In all, 49 people died in Minnesota, while 59 sailors died on Lake Superior. And everyone who survived The Armistice Day Blizzard will tell you the same thing; that the storm came out of nowhere. It truth, most storms do. Even in an age with Doppler radar and SkyMax 5 and trained meteorologists, storms are not always predictable. When they arrive unexpectedly, they can wreak havoc in our lives. And yet, the greatest storms in life have nothing to do with low pressure systems or cold fronts. The greatest storms come through the sudden twists and turns of our own lives. One day you go to the doctor's office for a routine exam and the next day your life is turned upside down by the results. Or your marriage is humming along just smoothly until one day your spouse tells you he wants a divorce. Or you struggle to keep your head just above water financially, and then the boss announces her downsizing plan. Or a child gets sick, or a parent dies, or there is a fire, or there is a family fight. Suddenly, a storm hits you with a vengeance, and your life takes a dramatic and serious turn. The one common thread in each of these circumstances is that you didn't see the storm coming…just like the Armistice Day Blizzard of 1940. Steven Molin, When the Storms Came Olive Wyon, in her book Consider Him, quotes a thing from the letters of St. Francis of Sales. St. Francis had noticed a custom of the country districts in which he lived. He had often noticed a farm servant going across a farmyard to draw water at the well; he also noticed that, before she lifted the brimming pail, the girl always put a piece of wood into it. One day he went out to the girl and asked her, “Why do you do that?” She looked surprised and answered, as if it were a matter of course, “Why? to keep the water from spilling … to keep it steady!” Writing to a friend later on, the bishop told this story and added: “So when your heart is distressed and agitated, put the Cross into its centre to keep it steady!” In every time of storm and stress, the presence of Jesus and the love which flows from the Cross bring peace and serenity and calm.