Many people looking at the Sea of Galilee for the first time have an emotional reaction. Much of Jesus’ ministry occurred around the Sea of Galilee. Set in the hills of northern Israel, the surface of the blue water of the Kinneret is nearly seven hundred feet below sea level. It is about eight miles wide, and more than twelve miles long from north to south. In places, the sea plunges to depths of two hundred feet. Like in Jesus’ day, it still teems with the fish species caught by His fishermen disciples. Jesus’ choice of this location for His ministry made fishing imagery a natural part of His teaching. The Galilee boasts an almost tropical climate. In Jesus’ time, wheat, barley, figs, grapes, and olives were produced in large quantities. The Sea of Galilee was a beautiful setting for the ministry of the Messiah.

Although the Sea of Galilee often looks beautiful and calm, many biblical writers described it as an abyss, a fearsome place of darkness and chaos, the very home of evil itself. Surrounded by high hills and deep valleys, its location is subject to sudden and violent storms. These storms develop when an east wind drops cool air over the warm moist air rising from the fresh water lake. Furious storms develop in a very short time. Understandably, the fisherman Jesus knew avoided sailing too far from shore for fear of being caught in one of these storms. While the disciples feared the wind and waves, Jesus did not.

One evening, Jesus sent His disciples ahead of him to sail across the sea. While Jesus prayed on a mountaintop, one of these violent storms came up. It pushed against the disciples’ boat until they were in the middle of the lake. With waves spilling into the boat, the disciples strained at the oars. Jesus saw it all and allowed His friends to struggle with their fear. He waited until the fourth watch of the night. Then He started walking toward them on the water. Drawing close to the boat, the gospels tell us that He walked past His disciples in the boat. Tired and scared, the disciples thought that Jesus might be a ghost coming up from the abyss of the sea. Responding to their cries for help, Jesus walked toward the boat, stepped in, and calmed the stormy sea with a Word.

Matthew recorded an event of incredible courage that happened during the night time voyage. When Peter saw Jesus walking on the water in the storm, he thought “I want to be like my Rabbi!” In his effort to be like Jesus, he took a huge risk. Watching Peter step out of the boat at Jesus’ command onto the wind-whipped waves, we can only imagine what the other disciples thought. They were probably making preparations to rescue their foolhardy friend. But Peter didn’t care what they thought. He ignored his fear of the abyss. He walked on the waves toward Jesus, focused on his Rabbi.

But then Peter felt the wind. He looked at the high waves. Fear took control and he began to sink. Though many people attribute his sinking to a lack of faith in Jesus, this doesn’t seem to fit the story. It’s clear from the text that Peter believed in Jesus and His power. He cried out, “Lord, save me!” While Peter found his courage while focused on Jesus, humanity got in the way and he began to doubt himself. Jesus didn’t rebuke Peter for trying to follow His example. He didn’t berate him for fearing the wind. He simply affirmed Peter’s faith by asking, “Why did you doubt (your own faith in Me)?”

Today, we don’t fear the sea as Jesus’ disciples did. But we do fear the storms of life that spring up out of nowhere on a sunny day. After terrorists struck on September 11th , our nation reeled with overwhelming sadness, anger, and fear. Personal tragedies induce the same feelings. Jesus understood this kind of fear. The world in which Jesus ministered really isn’t that much different than the one we live in today. The forces of evil and the unexplained events of our own lives still appear overwhelming at times. But Jesus overcame both and demonstrated His power.

Jesus let His disciples struggle. Instead of rescuing them right away, He watched them wrestle with the waves. Sometimes He lets us wrestle through our own storms as well. It is in the struggle that we learn the most significant lessons of faith and courage. And fortunately, Jesus listens for our cry and He comes to our rescue on the waves at just the right time.