Chapter 21—Walking on the Water
Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble. A storm had arisen, and
the lake was lashed into fury. Hour after hour they labored at the oars,
being driven hither and thither by the resistless force of the waves. All
night they were tossed upon the raging billows, feeling liable at any
moment to be engulfed beneath them. It was but a few hours’ work, in
ordinary weather, to reach the opposite shore, from the place they had
left; but their frail bark was driven farther and farther from the port they
sought, the plaything of the angry tempest. They had left Jesus with
dissatisfied hearts. They had set out, murmuring among themselves
because their wishes had not been gratified in the matter of exalting
their Lord to be the King of Israel. They had blamed themselves for
being so easily turned from their purpose, and yielding so readily to
the commands of Jesus. They reasoned that if they had remained and
persisted in their intention, they might have finally gained the point.
When the storm arose they still more deeply regretted having left
Jesus. Had they remained this peril would have been avoided. This
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was a severe trial of their faith. In the darkness and tempest they sought
to gain the point where he had promised to meet them, but the driving
wind forced them from their course and made all their efforts futile.
They were strong men and accustomed to the water, but now their
hearts failed them with terror; they longed for the calm commanding
presence of the Master, and felt that were he with them they would
be secure. But Jesus had not forgotten his disciples. From the distant
shore, his eye pierced the darkness, saw their danger, and read their
thoughts. He would not suffer one of them to perish. As a fond mother
watches the child she has in kindness corrected, so the compassionate
Master watched his disciples; and when their hearts were subdued,
their unholy ambition quelled, and they humbly prayed for help, it
was given them. At the very moment they believed themselves lost, a
flash of lightning revealed the figure of a man walking toward them
upon the water. An unspeakable terror seized them. The hands that
had grasped the oars with muscle like iron, relaxed their hold, and fell
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