Walking with our heavenly father
by Andy Cokayne 25 February 2024
Matthew 14 v 22-32
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from the land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake they were terrified "Its a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come." he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
I like walking, as I know many do, and we are not alone, as Our Heavenly Father also enjoys walking. In his book 'If you want to walk on water, you've got to get out of the boat' John Ortberg reminds us that the bible is among many things a list of unforgettable walks.
God himself, we read in Genesis, used to walk in the garden in the cool of the day. In general though God asks people to walk with him. There was the hard walk that Abraham took with his son Isaac on the road to Moriah, Abraham knowing what God had asked of him. There was the liberating walk Moses and the Israelites took through the path that was normally occupied by the Red Sea, as they walked in haste ahead of the pursuing Egyptian army. Then the same Israelites taking the round about and frustrating walk to the promised land, through the desert for forty years. There was Joshua's triumphant walk around Jericho, the disciples' illuminating walk to Emmaus, as they walk and talk with a stranger who they later realise is Jesus. Paul's interrupted walk to Damascus, where he sets out with the intention of seizing the believers of Jesus, but in the end becomes one of them. There was the sad and holy walk, that received its own name: the walk from the Praetorium to Golgotha called the 'Via Dolorosa' - the way of great sorrow.
Each walk we read of in the bible, is illuminating and purposeful, because Our Heavenly Father is with those walking. When we go on our walks, either physically or in our mind, lets remember to ask Our Heavenly Father to walk along with us, and so receive the same illumination and purpose that he alone can bring.
Song : When we walk with the Lord
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Prayer
Heavenly Father, help us to invite you along on each of our walks, that we may receive from you the inspiration, illumination and purpose that you desire to give us.
In Jesus name we pray. Amen.