Where Feet May Fail
Matthew 14:22-33
by Rev. Frank Schaefer

Life can be very hard and very confusing at times. I think we can all testify to that. If you look around you, you'll notice that a lot of people are looking for direction and help. Many of us need answers to questions like: what is my calling in life? What should I study? What job is there for me? How do I fit in? How do we raise our children? How do we get through this crisis? How do I find the right partner for life? How do I relate to the difficult people in my life? How do I maintain my values and beliefs in a corrupt work place?

So we often look to God for answers, we go to church, we read the Scriptures. But often times the situations we find ourselves in aren't directly addressed in the Scriptures. All we have is stories, parables and general teachings by Jesus that need to be interpreted so we can apply them to our every-day life.

Today's gospel lesson is a perfect example: in the middle of the night the disciples are crossing the Sea of Galilee in a boat. A sudden storm comes up (which apparently happens frequently even now-a-days). It's a bad storm, the disciples are scared, the ship may sink. Where is Jesus? Their beloved teacher wasn't with them; he needed time to himself. But suddenly, in the middle of this seemingly hopeless situation, Jesus makes an appearance. The disciples see him walking on the water toward them and...are terrified. They think he's a ghost.

But Jesus reassures them: "it's me!" Peter wants proof and says: "Lord, if it's you, ask me to walk on the water toward you." Jesus says: "do it." So Peter does, he actually starts walking on the water toward Jesus, but then he is distracted by the waves, takes his eyes off Jesus, and goes under. Jesus is there to help him, grabs his hand and lifts him out of the water. Jesus seems disappointed and asks all of the disciples: "Why have you such little faith? Why do you keep doubting?" The disciples are in awe. They worship Jesus, and continue on their journey.

So, how does this story relate to us and to our decisions and struggles? Many of us have been at a point (and some of us may be there right now) where we believe God is calling us to do something different, something new. Maybe it is something that, humanly speaking, seems impossible. And maybe people around us tell us this is a bad idea. But we cannot let go, we feel it's something God really wants us to do. So maybe it's time for us to step out of the metaphorical boat and step onto the waters of faith.

I know that many of you students are facing this challenge, whether it's about finding the right major, or finding the right field of work or whether it's about finding the right life partner. While all of these challenges are exciting and hopeful, they also cause us a lot of anxiety.

The boat represents all that is familiar, safe and constant. To step out of the boat means leaving our security. Even though you may hate your job or living situation, even though you may feel trapped or stuck, they are still giving you security.

When I left Germany where I was born and raised, at the age of 28 to pursue studies in the US, I stepped out of the boat. All I had was a calling from God to become a minister. Many of my friends and even family members didn't agree. They couldn't perceive this calling. They thought I was born to step into my father's shoes and become an engineer. It wasn't an easy road for me. I could have easily given up and said: maybe I misunderstood God. I had been accepted to Valley Forge University, but shortly after we arrived there was a problem with getting my student visa. I couldn't start officially, so I audited classes for a year and I had to take a lawyer and write letters to representatives before I was granted the visa. But, honestly, giving up wasn't an option for me. Once God gets a hold of you and calls you, you cannot stay in the boat.

It makes sense, for when we're at a crossroads, staying is seldom an option. We have to move forward and, metaphorically speaking, we have to step out on the water and trust that it will hold us. And we pray that the step doesn't end up being a plunge, like in Peter's case.

Practically speaking, taking the step often means leaving the security of our family, our circle of friends, our familiar surroundings. Those are big steps that usually cause us to look for God's help. As we take that step out of the boat, we face new, unfamiliar situations that can scare us. We feel alone and are desperate to find new friends and mentors. We feel vulnerable and uncertain. Those are the metaphorical scary waves and howling winds Peter faced.

We can learn a lesson from Peter and avoid dwelling on the scary aspects. If we allow the waves and gusts to occupy our minds, there is a good chance that we will go under.

[The next paragraph is tailored to my student audience, you may have to make changes to fit your congregation's demographic]

That's why so many first-year university students face enormous challenges, with many ending up in a personal crisis, some dropping out of school, others needing psychological treatment, some ending up getting in trouble with drugs and a few even losing their lives to suicide or a drug overdose.

Jesus was right there to pull Peter out of the water when he lost his faith. We, too, can always turn to God for help. We can pray. Sometimes we can't find the right words to pray in such situations. Sometimes we need to look to others to help us pray. One of the most popular Christian worship songs, Oceans (by Hillsong United), has helped me find those words at times. I want to close with these powerful words and hope they will inspire all of us to put our trust in God next time we are called to step out of our proverbial boat:

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior    (Oceans,  Hillsong United)

Amen.