Jesus, the Master of the Universe!

One of my favorite songs is “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.”  It always brings up thoughts of Peter out there, walking on the water.  “Poor Peter,” I often think.  “If he had just not looked at the winds and waves and kept his eyes on Jesus, he might have been able to really walk on the water.”

So, in Jesus’ post game talk with Peter, why didn’t He say, “Pete, if you had just looked at the human figure you have come to know as Me, You would have been ok.”  Jesus didn’t say that.  What did He say?  He said, “Why did you doubt?”  (And my favorite translation, says, “Why did you doubt Me?”)

Toward the end of His Time in the flesh on earth, Jesus seemed to be making deliberate moves to stay out of view of His Followers.  A storm came up and He was peacefully sleeping in the boat.  As the winds and waves tossed the boat around, He didn’t budge.  His Disciples had to wake Him up!

And in Peter’s water walking experience, Jesus was not even with them on the boat.  He came to them walking on the water.

Could it be that Jesus was expanding their view?  Could it be He wanted them to look further than just His human body and see He was much bigger than what would fit in that skin?  Jesus does not want us to run to Him in fear of what we see in the world.  He wants us to see that He is as large as the Universe itself!  He is complete Master of little things like earthly winds and waves.

Peter’s undoing wasn’t that he looked at the winds and waves.  His undoing was not recognizing that Jesus was the Master of the Winds and Waves.  The very winds and waves that could crush him were the same winds and waves that could carry him into a greater Glory than he had ever known.

Peek back into God’s history.  Did the heroes and heroines of the Bible disregard their circumstances and just keep their eyes on God?

In Romans 4:19, Paul tells us about Abraham’s response to the news from God that he would be the Father of many nations.

“Without weakening in his faith, Abraham faced the fact

 that his body was as good as dead –since he was about a hundred years old — 

and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.”

Talk about a reality check!

“Yet, he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God,

 but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 

being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised. 

 This is why it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:20-22)

How did Mary react to the news that she was to become the Mother of Jesus?  Luke 1:34 records her response.  It is the nice version of the way we might put it — “Are you kidding me??”

“How can this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’”

Does Jesus want us to ignore our circumstances?  Some people believe when they accept Jesus, they will be on the Glory Road to heaven and it will be straight and smooth.  When they hit the first pothole, they wonder if they are on the right road.

Jesus gives a reality check of His Own before we even begin the journey.  John 16:33 records Jesus’ Words:

“In this world, you will have trouble!”

Jesus could have said to Peter, “In this world, you will experience winds and waves and all manner of storms … BUT …”  (Let’s go back to John 16:33 for the rest of the Jesus’ sentence.)

“But take heart!  I have overcome the world!”

Whatever you are going through right now, look it in the face and see it for the way it appears to the world.  Yep, it looks like trouble.  You can remind yourself that Jesus’ Words are always true.  And in that moment, you can smile, and say, “I take heart!  I’m with the Master of it all and He has already overcome it all!  Let’s roll!”

I dedicate this blog posting today to the many people who are in the path of hurricane Sandy.  Take heart, my dear friends, He is the Master of the Winds and and the Waves!