“God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.” Psalm 46:5
When Peter asked the Lord to bid him come and walk on the waves of the sea, as the Lord was doing in the midst of the storm, the Lord Jesus told him to come. This was a bold act of faith on the part of Peter, and certainly one that pleased the Lord, as He enabled him to step out of the boat, and begin coming to HIm. However, as in the case of another storm at sea, when the disciples found themselves to be in great peril of perishing, there was fear, and a small measure of faith. Peter had faith enough to come to Jesus because Christ called him to do so. But something occured that changed victory into defeat, a miracle into a moment of great weakness and failure. It had to do with faith. Such was the case of the disciples also when they came to Jesus who was sleeping during the storm. There was a measure of faith first exibited in them coming to Jesus alone to save them. But this faith was not a victorious faith, for it had not the strength and power to deny fear a foothold in their hearts and minds. Jesus made this very clear when He asked them: “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? (Matt. 8:26) He also asked them, “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25) He would go on to ask them, after the raging sea was calmed by His command, “….How is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:40) In addressing the reaction of the disciples, and of Peter, to the overwhelming storm, a very real storm of great peril, the Lord Jesus always addressed the matter of faith, whether present or small. Why? Because it would be the issue, the determining factor of whether the disciples would be dominated by fear, or remain steady and unmoveable in the storm, as He was.
What was not the problem? The problem was not the lack of God’s presence, for Jesus was on one occasion with them in the boat, howbeit, asleep. On the other occasion with regard to Peter, Jesus was in proximity to the boat, as He came walking on the waves. The point is this, “God is present.” In Psalm 46, a psalm which speaks of catastrophic change and peril, the Psalmist begins with a declaration of truth which is essential to be laid hold of if the believer is to overcome. He writes: “God IS our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (v.1) Before talking of massive changes in circumstances that will confront the believer, and the enemies of Christ who are filled with rage, he takes eternal truth, and makes it his own. In other words, he is choosing to take his stand, wholeheartedly placing all his faith in God, but specifically with regard to the fact of His presence, power, and provsion in the present moment. He takes his stand that God will be the greater reality than the circumstances that surrounded, or confronted him. Do we find this stance taken elsewhere in Scripture? In Psalm 16, the psalmist writes: ” I have SET the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall NOT be moved.” (v.8) The Psalmist is choosing to believe the fact that God is present and greater than any circumstance or enemy. He is also believing wholeheatedly in the goodness, mercy, and grace of God who will provide and protect. In speaking of the “race set before us,” we read in the book of Hebrews the phrase: “…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith.” (Heb. 11:2) Faith is born when our eyes are fixed on the Lord Jesus, the author and finisher of faith. Paul wrote the following: “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” (1 Cor. 2:2) Faith only rests in the power of God when the Lord Jesus is set before.
Dear Father, Be our present help. In Jesus’ name, Amen.