Have you ever been in an environment where the noise level was so high you had trouble focusing? Have you ever been in a place where there was so much activity that you found it difficult to move without fear of getting trampled? Have you ever found yourself so surrounded by activity, people and things in your face, that getting your bearings seemed next to impossible?
I am sure everyone has experienced that to some degree a few times in their life. But I submit that today most everyone is lost in a "noise floor" that seems overwhelming. Think about your day today and while you do let me throw out some of those noise sources...
Medicare, Militants attack, Glenn Beck compares ABC report to Nazi Propaganda, Iraq on highest alert for terror attacks, two car bombs explode in northern Mexico, unemployment close to 10 percent, new home sales worst in 25 years, record home foreclosures, national debt at 13,300,000,000,000, prayer banned, mosque to be built near ground zero, thousands flee wall of water and mud, many others killed, abortion rates rising, workplace violence increasing, IED, Insurgents, suicide bomber, Nuclear Iran, campus killings, BP, Gulf destroyed, genocide, Obamacare, Political corruption, Atheism, religion, Jihad, and on, and on.
For anyone who wishes to engage in the world today, this is that world. And it seems that any rational discussion involving any one of these topics have given way to dogmatic arguments with the loudest gaining some ground for their cause that day.
Others who opt out lose themselves in video games, sporting events, or other activities that help to insulate them from the blender of controversy, pain, anger, entitlement, revenge, conquest, hate, and power chewing up the streets of America today.
I would like to offer up an alternative for those one the edge, those losing themselves to the madness around them, and anyone else looking for a place of comfort and peace.
Now I cannot promise that anyone who does not believe in Jesus Christ will find much comfort in what I am about to propose, nor can I promise it will make much sense. But for the rest, the events found in Matthew 14: 22-33 demonstrate some principles very relevant today.
While you can read the other verses in Matthew for context, I would like to focus on just this section. It begins by Jesus sending the disciples ahead of him in a boat while he went up on a mountain to pray. During the trip a strong storm began battering their ship. Let's parallel that storm with what what is going on in the world today. Isn't it easy to see the parallels here. Can you imagine that you feel inside today the same as you would on a boat in the middle of a sea in storm.
Now if the storm was not bad enough, Jesus went out to them walking on water and the disciples thought he was some type of spirit and they became very afraid, but Jesus called to them and told them not to be afraid.
Well Peter, being Peter, challenged him and asked that if he was Jesus the Jesus should ask him to come to Him on the water. Jesus said come, and (I am sure to the amazement of everyone there) Peter started walking on water to Jesus.
Now the text does not say this specifically, but I believe that as long as Peter was totally fixed on Jesus, he was able to this. His faith was sound and his gaze fixed on Jesus. He was in the zone. If any of you have played sports you can understand this somewhat I believe. When I played basketball, I would get into the zone. All the fans would just disappear and the only thing that existed in my world at the time was those on the court and the purpose of what we were doing. I would like to think that was where Peter was as he started walking on water.
At some point, he began to notice the storm again and got afraid and started sinking and cried out for help. I know we all have been there before. Despite his apparent collapse into failure, Jesus immediately reached out and caught him and saved him and they continued onto the boat at which point the winds stopped.
So I say, using this event as an example, Focus on Christ. Get into the Zone. Let Him bring you peace. Let Him recharge your soul. Let him take your hand and assure you that the winds will cease.
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