Smooth Seas Don't Make Skilled Disciples
Gusty Galilee Was a Proving Ground
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.
Neither does it make a disciple.
This is what made the Sea of Galilee a perfect place for Jesus to refine His 12 closest followers.
The Sea of Galilee is a freshwater lake that sits 700 feet below sea level. Towering hills surround the harp-shaped lake, creating a topographic funnel perfect for churning up strong storms with little warning.
A significant amount of Jesus’s ministry occurs in the Galilee region, and the storm-prone sea served a vital role.
It is far more than a background.
It’s a proving ground.
Consider Matthew 14.
This account is most well-known for the miracle of Jesus walking on water.
But read the account with the stormy sea in mind, and watch for the word “wind.” Circle it in your Bible and trace the wind through the narrative.
The wind blows three times in this chapter across the waters of Galilee, and each time gives us a gust of application that should make us glad we serve a God who does not always promise smooth sailing.
Contrary Wind
The events occur just after Jesus feeds the 5,000—a miracle recorded in all four Gospels.
Afterward, Jesus went away to pray in isolation.
“Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.” — Matthew 14:22
Two verses later, the disciples’ boat was being battered by the gusts of Galilee.
“… the wind was against them.” — Matthew 14:24
This means Jesus sent them into the challenging winds.
God may send storms to either discipline you or disciple you.
He disciplines the one He loves (Hebrews 12:6) and will use storms to put you back on course (see Jonah).
Or, the storm you face could be gradually shaping you. This is not the first storm recorded by Matthew. In Matthew 8, Jesus calms a storm and the men marveled. After this storm in Matthew 14, they proclaim Jesus as the Son of God (Matthew 14:33).
The choppy seas helped them see clearer.
Distracting Wind
Before this revelation occured, the disciples had to navigate the waves deep into the night. It was the fourth watch of the night — just before dawn — when Jesus miraculously walks on the water.
Peter calls out to Jesus and says that if commanded, he will come out onto the water with Him.
Jesus tells Peter to come, and the disciple who fished the same Galilee waters hundreds of times suddenly walked on its choppy surface.
But not for long.
“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’”
This is why the Bible reminds us to fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).
Turning our attention to our circumstances often causes us to sink.
What is pulling your eyes off Jesus?
Are you more focused on the storms of life or the one who controls the winds and waves?
Ceasing Wind
“Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” — Matthew 14:31
When they got in the boat, the wind ceased (14:32).
Peter is often criticized for his little faith.
But a little faith got him out of the boat.
And a little faith made him realize that when he began to sink, who he needed to cry out to save him.
Sometimes a little faith is all you need.
Peter’s prayer is worth repeating …
“Lord, save me.”
How has your faith been shaped by the stormy seas of life?
Share in the comments.
The Suffer Up Podcast is available with a new episode each Monday on all platforms.