St. Paul's United Church of Christ

Dear St. Paul’s Friends and Family,

“Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27b)

There are seven major instances in Matthew’s gospel when Jesus tells his followers to not be afraid.  The occurrence in chapter 14 is when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea in the middle of the night as their boat was buffeted by a storm.  They mistook him for a ghost, but by his choice of words, he not only dispelled their fears, but also reminded them of his true identity.  The phrase “It is I” (Greek ego eimi) resonated with the ancient divine name given by God to Moses in Exodus 3:14— “YHWY” (translated “I am”).  The very presence of God was with them, and they had no need to fear.

Peter still doubted that it was Jesus, so he asked him to command him to get out of the boat and come to him.  You know how the story goes.  Peter received the command from Jesus, took a few steps, freaked out, and then began to sink.  He pleaded for his life and Jesus saved him.    

It’s tempting to focus on Peter’s doubts about Jesus and his failure to walk on water, however, in doing so we might end up missing the miracle in this story.  Jesus, God in the flesh, the same God who saved their ancestors of faith from slavery in Egypt, will also save them.  Even one man’s doubt will not stop God from saving.  

This is welcome news for us!  God will not let the storms of life, our unbelief, or doubts stand in the way of the Divine’s unconditional love and acceptance.  Jesus’ life demonstrated the depths of that love, and the lengths God goes to be in fellowship with us.  Through our one-ness with God is Jesus Christ, we, like Peter, are healed from the doubts and fears that often consume us.  Let us take confidence in knowing that God is always with us.  May we be so inspired by Jesus’ love for us that we cast aside doubt and fear as we embrace Christ’s love and compassion for the world.

Blessings on your journey,

Pastor Matt