Walking on Water

Hello, my name is Josh Jones and I am an 18 year old college student at Truman State University. I have always wanted to start a blog about various topics that tend to meander throughout my mind but I never had the time until I was abruptly sent home due to the pandemic of COVID-19.

I never would have thought that something like this would happen. I heard about it when it started but I thought it would be like Ebola a couple years ago and never quite blossomed into what it has become today. I was on a spring break service trip with my college campus ministry “CCF” when I received the news about school being moved to online for the next week. I was excited to hear that I would have an opportunity to see my family but it never really sank in that it would be any longer than a week. The next few days were a hassle trying to get back into the dorms to retrieve our belongings for the next week and it would be an understatement to say that people were panicking in the camp.

We made the long drive back to Truman from Adair, OK and all that time I could not help but think of the gloomy outcome that the semester would be taken online, that I would not be there in person to see my senior friends graduate, or even spend more time with the newfound Christian friends that I have made throughout my time with them over the past few months, weeks, even days. We finally made it back, packed up our cars, thankfully got into our dorms to get our belongings and said our goodbyes. Goodbyes are always hard but these seemed harder, given the circumstances that we did not know what was held for the future.

I made the dreary drive home safely to my parents in St. Louis and felt safe and sound away from the craziness of the anticipation of the future. I went to church the next day and caught up with old friends and mentors who warmed my heart and comforted me with the love of God.

Monday was different due to the adjustment to online classes throughout the day, but even worse was the email sent out about in person classes being suspended for the rest of the semester. My mind raced and my heart filled with anxiety as I began to text and call my friends asking what their plans were and how we were going to keep in touch, all the while not even praying. Not even giving a glance to what God had to say about this. Isn’t that how it always tends to go?

And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God” (Matthew 14:28-33). 

When we are scared, where do we tend to go? I know I didn’t turn to God and cry out, “Lord, save me,” but we have to learn to do so. Jesus asked Peter to walk to Him. He said, “Come”, come to me when you are broken hearted, when you are scared not knowing where life will take you. Come to me when you are tired, not knowing when you will find rest. Come to me when you are anxious, when your mind becomes a prison. Come to me when you are lonely, when you feel like no one is there for you. Come to me when you are happy, when life becomes easier to handle. Just come.

Jesus knew that Peter would take his eyes off Him and fall. He knew that Peter would start to sink. Jesus wanted Peter, and the rest of us too, to realize that nothing can be done without Him. We need to learn to always lean upon God, to cry out, “Lord, save me” no matter the circumstances. He knew that Peter would doubt but he still asked him to come to him so He could be the one that lifted him out of the waters.

God is our saving grace. We should always turn to Him to be our rock, our savior, no matter where life takes us. This semester definitely did not turn out how I wanted it to. I am going to miss seeing my friends everyday, going to classes, enjoying the small thing on campus, and especially the community I felt, but nonetheless in my anxiety, in my doubt and pain, God is there telling me to “Come.”

So what leads our hearts away from God, to the point where we fail to turn to Him in every aspect of our lives?

What in our everyday lives gives us “false confidence”?

In what areas of our lives could we come to Jesus more often?

“If we will not learn to eat the only food that the universe grows, the only food that any possible universe ever can grow, then we must starve eternally”- Tim Keller

“Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.”-Jerry Bridges