Nougat 11

I confess.

The miracle on the boat has got me thinking beyond the devotional I am reading. The YouVersion devotion features the entire miracle to address fear. (Our nougat reflections are my thoughts as inspired by the devotion). Today’s Holy Nougat is another point on prayer that I missed previously.

“Peter replied, “Lord, if it really is you, tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come on!” Jesus said. Peter then got out of the boat and started walking on the water toward him.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭14‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Come On

Did you notice Jesus’ reply to Peter? He did not tell Peter how ridiculous he was being; He didn’t berate Peter about his terror at seeing Jesus (or the disciples for that matter); He didn’t laugh at them in their distress; He didn’t just say yes.

He said ‘Come.’ The response, presented in the Greek in the infinitive erchomai

ἔρχομαι, ie to move towards; offers us a few insights: 1) a direct reply 2) an affirmation 3) an invitation & 4) a deliberateness.

1. Direct Response

Peter’s request was that Jesus tell him to come. And Jesus did that. Sometimes we are not very direct with our prayer, or we don’t expect a direct response, despite our request. But when we consider the ASK Principle in Matthew 7:7-9; it is evident that God not only expects us to Ask, Seek and Knock; but that God also intends to keep the promise made by Jesus. So, let’s be direct.

2. Affirmation

Jesus heard Peter. Peter needed proof of Jesus’ identity, given the circumstances he and the others faced. Peter knew the cadence of Jesus’ response. The way Jesus answered also confirmed that it was Jesus. It dispelled doubts. 1 John 4:1 tells us ‘… not [to] believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world …’ . Jesus’ response tells us that Peter’s ‘prayer request’ was valid. We can come to Jesus with our fears and expect that we will not be rebuffed.

3. Invitation

Yes, Peter asked. Jesus’ answer was an invitation away from Fear into Faith. In the word ‘Come’, we also hear an invitation. It suggests that Jesus offered Peter the directive to do the impossible. Jesus also invites us to accomplish the impossible today; but we first have to step out in Faith.

I’ll admit to hearing a bit of whimsy in Jesus’ invitation; especially in the CEV ‘Come on!’ Are we open to experiencing whimsical moments with Jesus /God amidst the winds and waves when Life is Lifing? If so, let’s accept Jesus’ invitation.

4. Deliberateness

Did you realize that Jesus didn’t take Peter out of the boat? Come, suggests you move, in your own strength/by yourself’. Emboldened by Jesus’ invitation, Peter moved. Prior to that, he and the others were floundering in the boat like pendulums. Are we willing to move when Jesus says ‘Come.’, in the midst of Life’s storms?

Siblings, we may be on the brink of a decision, or in the middle of Life’s raging sea. We might be testing the spirit behind something that looks menacing or too good to be true. If we choose, we can pray with expectation (not necessarily that the response is positive – there was some doubt in Peter’s question) and know that we will be answered.

We also have to decide what we will do when Jesus says ‘Come.’ Lord, we believe, help our unbelief.

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May all we seek be found in Christ