“Walking on the Water”
Matthew 14:22-33
Rev. Dr. Deborah L. Clark
Aug 4, 2013
Have you heard the one about the three UCC ministers who went fishing? As it turns out, two of them had been around for awhile, and the third had just graduated from seminary. She was thrilled when her two senior colleagues invited her to join them on their weekly fishing trip. She was anxious to impress them and prove her worthiness.
So they set off from shore, anchored in the middle of the lake, and cast their lines. After only a few minutes, one of the experienced ministers stood up precipitously. “I’m hungry,” he exclaimed. “I’m going back to shore to get a snack.” With that, he stepped out onto the water, walked across it to shore, bought some very salty potato chips at the snack bar, and then walked back, across the water, to the boat. A few minutes later, the other seasoned minister stood up. “I don’t like those chips,” she said. “They’re not salty enough. Give me popcorn any day.” And without a moment’s hesitation, she too stepped out onto the water. She walked across the water, bought her even saltier popcorn, walked back, and got into the boat.
The three colleagues sat in the boat munching their snacks and waiting for the fish to bite. With every bite of popcorn or chips, which she felt compelled to eat since her esteemed colleagues had offered them so graciously, the newly ordained minister grew more and more thirsty. Finally she was desperate. She absolutely had to get a drink. But she couldn’t possibly ask her colleagues to row her to shore; then they would know she had never walked on water before. She tried to convince herself that her faith was strong enough and she could do it. She said a silent but very fervent prayer. Then she stood up, told her colleagues where she was going, stepped boldly out on the water, and promptly sank.
The two experienced ministers looked at each other. “Oh,” one said to the other, “do you think we should have told her where the stepping stones are?”
***
The Bible is filled with miracles that defy the laws of nature as we know them. It simply isn’t possible for human beings to walk on water. Our modern minds want to come up with a scientifically justifiable explanation for what might have happened. Let me suggest that we resist the temptation to rewrite the biblical story to include a few stepping stones hidden beneath the water. Part of the power of the story lies in the mystery behind the miracle. But perhaps, as we try to understand what this story means for our lives today, the image of the stepping stones can come in handy.
There are times when God calls us to step out onto the water, even though everything we know about how the world works tells us we will sink. There are times we have no choice but to give up control and trust God to hold us up. I have certainly experienced times like that—and discovered that when I cannot hold myself up, God will hold me up.
But that’s not the way I experience God at work in my life most of the time. Usually God does not defy the laws of nature, nor does God generally ask me to walk on water. More often, God enables me to discover the stepping stones hidden beneath the surface of the water that surrounds my boat.
God’s vision of the world is infinitely deeper than we can ever imagine. We see the surface of the water; God sees the stepping stones hidden beneath. But we are not trapped by our limited vision. God is a generous God, and offers us a deeper, broader view of our world. The stories of our faith, the variety of perspectives in our church community, the insight that comes when we slow down and pray—these are gifts from God that enable us to see in new ways. These gifts enable us to go deeper than the surface. When we do, we discover the stepping stones that can free us from being trapped in our little boats, the stepping stones that can free us for lives filled with possibility.
God’s creativity is infinitely greater than we can ever imagine. God can create a way where there is no way. God can bring new life where there is only death and loss. God can awaken hope where there is only despair. Most wondrous of all, God does not keep that creative power all for God’s self. God shares it with us. When we are connected with God, when we seek God’s help and listen for God’s voice, God blesses us with creativity. God gives us the gifts we need to move some rocks around and build up some stepping stones for ourselves and for the other people sharing our boat. We share in God’s creative power. We can be part of creating a way where there is no way. We can be part of enabling new life in the face of death, of awakening hope where there is only despair.
The gospel tells the story of a miracle–a man walking on water. The gospel points us toward a slightly different, but equally wondrous, miracle in our lives. The miracle is that, by the grace of God, we can discover the stepping stones hidden beneath the surface of the water. The miracle is that sometimes, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can even be part of creating that path of stepping stones where there was none. This miracle does not come to us like a bolt of lightning from the sky; this miracle comes to us through seemingly mundane ways. God’s miraculous grace is at work when we learn from one another, when we study the scriptures, when we ask for God’s help, when we slow down enough to listen, when we dare to imagine something different, when we find the courage to keep trying new things.
It’s tempting to carry this story to a self-serving conclusion: if we have enough faith, we conclude, God will help us do whatever we want. But that’s not what the gospel says. Peter does not walk on water to get where he wants to go; he walks on water to come to Jesus. The promise of the gospel is that God will bless us with the creativity, vision, and courage we need to walk toward Jesus. That is a remarkable promise, because as we move closer to Jesus, we will begin to believe the unbelievable message he taught–how much God loves us. We will experience healing of our brokenness. As we come closer to Jesus, we will be inspired and strengthened to live as Jesus calls us to live, lives that bring healing and love to our world.
If we have faith, we can know the power of God’s love in our lives. If we dare to trust that the grace of God will enable us to see beneath the surface of our lives, we can find healing for our brokenness. If we dare to trust that the Holy Spirit will gift us with creativity, we can follow in the way of Jesus and make a difference in our world.
Let me invite you to think about your life. What is it that keeps you from really believing how much God loves you? Whatever it is, no matter how vast that gulf seems to be, trust in the promise that God will help you get across it. You can experience the depth of God’s love. What is the brokenness in your life that seems beyond the possibility of healing? No matter how deep the wounds, no matter how impossibly far away healing seems to be, trust in the promise that there are stepping stones beneath the surface. God will help you find them, and will lead you along them toward healing. What gets in the way of your reaching out to offer love and healing to our world? No matter how overwhelming the world’s problems, no matter how insignificant and unqualified you may feel, trust in the promise that the Holy Spirit will gift you with creativity. The Spirit will give you what you need to shape pathways for love and hope and healing to flow through you to your neighbor.
“Come,” Jesus says to Peter. Peter looks around and sees an ocean between him and his Savior. Even so, he dares to walk forward. “Come,” Jesus says to us. We look around and see an ocean separating us from the love, healing, and sense of purpose we seek. Have faith, for God will bless us with the insight and creativity we need to walk across that water toward Jesus. Have faith, for love, healing, and purpose await us. Thanks be to God. Amen.