Matthew 14 -- What Faith Really Is

Two miracles Matthew recorded tell us a lot about Jesus and how we should relate to Him.  When 5000 men plus women and children had stayed late out in the country to hear Jesus and to have their friends healed, the disciples encouraged Him to send them home to get their supper.  Rather than agreeing, Jesus was moved with compassion for them.  My commentary says this was a deep feeling, meaning “to have one’s inner being stirred.”  “It is stronger than sympathy.”  It also asked the question, “If our heavenly Father has such compassion toward us, should we not have compassion toward others?”

 

“When they considered the time and the place, they came to the conclusion that nothing could be done to solve the problem … How like many of God’s people today.  For some reason, it is never the right time or place for God to work.  Jesus watched His frustrated disciples.  He Himself knew what He was intending to do.”

 

He finally took what they had and not only fed everyone, but each disciple was left to carry out a basketful of leftovers!  I wonder if that weighed on them as they headed for their boat.

 

Jesus stayed on shore and set them off in their boat.  He knew the storm was coming and He purposefully sent them out.  The storm came because they were in the will of God, not out of it.  If we are out of His will, the storms He brings will be correcting storms, my commentary says.  If in His will, they will be perfecting storms.  And that’s what this one was.

 

What was Christ doing while they were fretting?  He was praying for them!  And even today He is in heaven making intercession for us in our storms, asking God to perfect our faith and trust in Him.

 

In the same way that He waited for just the right moment, when all human hope is gone, He’ll do that with us as well.  To test our faith, He has to remove every human prop.

 

My commentary also mentioned that Jesus walked on water to show His disciples that the very thing they feared was only a staircase for them to come to Him.  Today, our trials are ways for Him to come to us, using our trials to get to us.

 

Peter started out well, but ended up crying out to Jesus as he attempted to walk on water towards Him.  My commentary said, “Faith is not believing in spite of evidence, but obeying in spite of consequence.”

 

“If Jesus says, ‘Come,’ then that word is going to accomplish its intended purpose.  Whatever He starts, He completes.”

 

Father, help me to understand that faith is obeying in spite of consequences.  When I hear Your voice, let me know that You have spoken to me and help me to believe that Your commands enable me to accomplish Your will.

 

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford