Bible story includes many modern-day lessons

Have you ever noticed this:

You can know a Bible story, then read it again only to see something you never noticed of before.

That’s happened to me many times.

These days, I even pray that God will show me new things.

And he does.

For instance, I recently re-read the story of when Jesus walked on the water. It’s in the New Testament book of Matthew, starting with chapter 14. I believe we can learn many truths from a story that’s no more than a few short paragraphs.

Here are some things I’ve learned throughout the years:

n Make sure you spend time alone with God. At the start of the story, Jesus sent his disciples away in a boat, then he went to a mountainside -- by himself -- to pray.

We also need to spend time each day reading his word and praying to him. There are all sorts of good devotional books with daily readings that are just a few paragraphs long, that include short Scriptures to read and think about. I like “Our Daily Bread,” which can be found online. You can read the thoughts for the day and then click on the Scriptures and read those, too. Some churches give the devotional books away for free.

It took me a little time to get into the habit of reading even a short devotional each day. Now, I crave that time alone with God.

n Remember that Jesus doesn’t leave us alone in the boat. In this account, evening came and the disciples were in the boat which was being buffeted by wind and waves. The Scriptures say Jesus went out to them.

He comes to us, too.

n Jesus doesn’t always help us in the way we’d expect, but he’ll do what he needs to help us. In this story, Jesus walked on water to get to his disciples.

Do you think he’d do any less for you?

“Aw, c’mon,” you say. “These were Jesus’ followers. His buddies. His homeboys. Who am I?”

You’re his child -- that’s who you are. And the more you read the Scriptures and learn to trust God, the more you’ll find that -- unlike humans -- God doesn’t play favorites.

* The farther we are from God, the less we recognize his presence in our lives. When the disciples first saw Jesus, they didn’t recognize him. They thought they were seeing a ghost. I wonder if they would have recognized him if they’d been a little closer. Like the disciples, we need to get closer to Christ. I believe that’s why we need to pray, read our Bibles and think about his word each day.

* God hears when you earnestly call out to him. When the disciples became afraid, they cried out. And immediately -- not 10 minutes later -- Jesus said to them “Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

He says the same to us.

* Seek God before trying something new. After he heard Christ’s words, a disciple named Peter said “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Christ’s voice sounded familiar to Peter, but he decided to make sure he was hearing from Jesus. That’s a good lesson for all of us.

I’ve regretted the times when I’ve jumped first and prayed later. I’ve found that it works so much better if I ask God, first, what he wants me to do and then to wait to see what his answer is. The great thing is that God speaks in many ways: through his word, circumstances, other people -- and through the Holy Spirit’s gentle nudge at our hearts. Learning how to listen is vital.

* Jesus invites us to come to him. After Peter’s request, the Lord had just one word: “Come.”

* Sometimes you just have to take a step of faith to see the miraculous. At Christ’s invitation, Peter got down out of the boat, walked on water and came toward Jesus. Oh my, how scary, but how exhilarating that must have been. Yet what if Peter had been afraid and stayed in the boat?

As Christian author Joyce Meyer says “You can’t walk on water if you don’t get out of the boat.” Sometimes we just have to leave the boat where it’s comfortable and safe. I once heard a missionary say that once you get out of the boat, you’ll never want to get back in. I believe that’s true.

* Don’t stare at your circumstances, keep your eyes on Christ. Peter was walking on the water when he saw the wind, became afraid and started to sink. When did he start to sink? As soon as he focused on what was around him and took his eyes off the Lord.

n Jesus is there for us. As soon as he started to sink -- not after he was over his head in water -- Peter cried out “Lord save me!” Then we see that word “immediately” again. Just as soon as Peter called for help, Jesus reached out his hand and caught the sinking disciple.

Jesus then seemed a little incredulous. “You of little faith,” he said. “Why did you doubt?”

Then the two boarded the boat.

* Jesus shows us who he is. After he and Peter got into the boat, the disciples began to worship Christ saying “Truly you are the son of God.”

They didn’t have to question who Jesus was -- they knew.

* Reach out to Jesus. Take a look at what happened after Christ’s water-walking miracle.

Jesus and the disciples landed at a place called Gennesaret. And when men there recognized Christ, they sent word out into all the surrounding country.

Can you imagine those men with a message? This part isn’t in the Scriptures, but I picture them hurrying to friends and neighbors saying, “Come quick. Jesus is here. He can help you.”

I wonder how many times I rush to tell people the very same message -- that our Lord is here and he can help us.

So what happened next in the Biblical account?

People brought all -- not a few -- of their sick countrymen (and probably women and children) to Jesus. They begged for Christ to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak.

Everyone who did so was healed.

I think that speaks volumes to us.

Instead of sitting in a slump worrying, we need to reach out to the only one who really can heal us — not only physically, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

We need to reach out to the one who says, “Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Tammy McKeighan is news editor of the Fremont Tribune. She can be reached at (402) 721-5000, Ext. 1433 or via e-mail at tammy.mckeighan@lee.net.

She has self-published a book of 59 of her columns called “Real Spiritual Spinach -- Faith for the Journey.” A portion of the proceeds of the book are being donated to Royal Family Kids Camps, a program that provides weeklong summer camps for abused and neglected children in the foster care system.

Books cost $15 each. To purchase a book, send a check or money order to: Tammy McKeighan, P.O. Box 2075, Fremont, NE 68026. Please include $3.75 for shipping and handling per two books; allow four weeks delivery.