We might miss experiencing God’s presence if we are expecting Him to come to us in a certain way.
Matthew 14:22 – 14:33
22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth [his] hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
It was night. There were high winds, crashing waves, and low visibility. For the disciples, who were on the sea in a small boat, the situation had reached crisis proportions—and Jesus was not with them. While they were dealing with the frightening weather, He was on the mountainside praying.
In the midst of the storm, perhaps the disciples thought Jesus had forgotten them. However, He knew exactly where they were and what they were experiencing. Though we can’t see Jesus physically, He is omniscient—He can identify where we are at every moment. No darkness can hide us; no trial can obscure His vision. We are always seen, known, and understood!
Leaving that place of prayer, Jesus sought out the disciples. And He will do the same for us. However, the Twelve didn’t recognize Him because He went to them by walking on the water. Jesus often does not come in the way that we expect. Our preconceived ideas of how He works can make us wonder where He might be and can blind us to how near He actually is.
Experiencing Jesus’ presence in hard times can teach us precious truths. During an earlier rough sea adventure, the disciples had observed both Jesus’ trust in God and His authority over nature (Matt. 8:23-26). In the latest storm, they watched the Lord walk on water—and they saw one of their own do it, too. Through the storms, they learned who Jesus was, what He could do, and what their own potential was.
When turmoil hits, let’s ask for spiritual eyes to discern the Lord’s presence. Then, we must listen for His voice and obey (John 10:27).
In Touch Ministries