‘You of little faith,’ He {Jesus},said, ‘Why did you doubt’  Mathew 14 v 31:

You may be surprised who Jesus said that to, it was Peter. it is encouraging to know that Peter was so human and real, getting things so right one day and so wrong the next, just like many of us.

The story this come from as just after the feeding of the 5000, recalled in Matthew 14, Mark 6, and John 6: The enormous picnic was over, Jesus sent the disciples ahead of him back across the lake in their fishing boats. Jesus himself climb the hill overlooking the lake, to be alone with God His Father.

The disciples struck a strong wind and started to struggle, and no matter how hard they rowed they made no headway. From the top of the hill Jesus sees their struggles.

Jesus always sees our struggles and is always waiting for our call for help, and He will always answer, if we call to Him for help.

Well He might answer us in a way we don’t expect. Just like the disciples, they didn’t recognize Him coming. they got more frightened when they saw what they though was a ghost near the boat.

Jesus was quick to reassure them, by saying don’t be afraid I am coming to help. The disciples could not believe it. Big brave Peter calls out to Jesus and says, “If it’s really is you, tell me to come to you”.

Jesus calls him. Peter followed the calling and climb over the side of the boat and began walking to Jesus on top of the water. To that point it was a successful calling, Peter eyes were on Jesus.

Callings always bring challenges, the idea is not to take your eyes off Jesus, when things start to go wrong. Poor Peter suddenly he felt a gust of strong wind around him and he looked down at the swirling water.

His calling now became a rescue, ‘Help me Lord’, Peter shouted. Jesus gave a quick response and put his hand out to help Peter in his time of trouble.

Back to where we started, and Jesus’ question to us all, on the ups and downs of our calling, .”Why did you doubt.”

Has Jesus called you and you are struggling on the high seas of challenges to your calling. Jesus is still calling you on to do Great Things and He is watching in case we fall.

The secret of success on your calling is not a secret at all, ‘it is not to take your eyes off Our Lord and Our Friend’, and if we do and start to drown in the circumstances around us. Our Lord and Our Friend is still waiting for the call “HELP ME LORD”.

He will get us back in the boat, so our calling will stay on track. “Why do we ever doubt”, because like Peter we are only human after all.

God Bless.

O F J.