“As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night. Meanwhile, the boat was far out to sea when the wind came up against them and they were battered by the waves. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the water. They were scared to death. “A ghost!” they said, crying out in terror. But Jesus was quick to comfort them. “Courage, it’s me. Don’t be afraid.” Peter, suddenly bold, said, “Master, if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come ahead.” Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, “Master, save me!” Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, “Faint-heart, what got into you?” The two of them climbed into the boat, and the wind died down. The disciples in the boat, having watched the whole thing, worshiped Jesus, saying, “This is it! You are God’s Son for sure!” (Matthew 22:14-23 MSG)
(Warning: This is definitely not a short meditation, but is surely needed by all the saints. Read on, please.)
It is not a perfect storm, but it is the summer storm that I want to bring to your attention. It is just around the corner. Like the disciples who had witnessed the Lord taking small means and bringing about great results, feeding the multitudes with five loaves of bread and two fish, we too have seen the Lord work in our lives and the life of our churches on more than one occasion, taking small means and bringing about great results in our congregations.
Like the disciples who got in the boat to go ahead, in the verses above, we too must get into the boat we call the Old Ship of Zion, and travel through a storm, particularly, the summer storm. You see, there is a parallel with what the disciples experienced and what we shall experience during the upcoming season. Churches will be battered by waves; waves of doubt about our destiny, waves of fluctuating attendance. Attendance will go up and down. At times because of needed vacations, needed rest, or a need to attend special family events. All of those are acceptable and excusable reasons for missing church at times during the summer months. I’m glad that when that is necessary, the saints take the church with them…because they represent the church everywhere they go. There are other waves that don’t fall in the category of vacations, rest, or attending special events category. Because of the combination of the excusable and inexcusable, every church will go through this seasonal experience; through summer storms. Nevertheless, we must stay in the ship. Local churches, battered by the waves of the post-pandemic habits, must persevere and press on.
Let me describe the elements of the storms we must face, briefly. The winds of frustration will attempt to knock down the leadership of your church, especially the select few, the inner circle of Jesus’ set apart disciples who will be charged with reaching out, recruiting others, and retaining them in the church. The winds of the summer storm will tempt many of the faithful to emulate the ways of those who are not on our ship, but are on a worldly vessel, traveling through life to a disastrous danger. The summer storm of impatience will rain down on each of us, individually, on every member of the body, causing some, unfortunately, to wonder should they resign from kingdom building work or renew and revive that work, in hopes of a great return of our churches in the same or greater numbers as they were before the pandemic.
The summer storm will have us being like Peter who got out of the boat to come closer to Jesus, walking on the water, doing the impossible. But remember, with the Lord, all things are possible. Hopefully, we all desire a closer walk with Jesus. But as we walk through the summer storm, like Peter again, we will be distracted by our surroundings, the happenings in our environments, and occasionally we will take our eyes off Jesus. Be careful, for the possibility of sinking, in regards to carrying out our work as a church, will be upon us – in the summer storm. We will be tempted to hesitate, using the technique of postponing previously announced plans and programs – because of the summer storm. The persistence and commitment that it takes to keep pressing on will be challenged – during the summer storm. Mark my words! There will be waves of temptation to minimize the use our treasures, talents, and time – in the summer storm. Every church will face the summer storm, some because of how our summers are scheduled, how our events are scheduled or slated on the calendar; some, as we alluded to earlier, because of events where we just need a little rest. Yes, there are some elements of the summer storm that are understandable. However, there are some elements of the summer storm that get the best of us because we are enthralled and enticed by what is going on around us. Waves of people doing whatever they choose during the summer months will try to change the direction of “the old ship.” Waves of Saturday happenings, will cause people to see Sundays as a day of rest, defined as “catching up on my sleep.” Waves of people will seemingly think they are just experiencing the “good life,” not staying God-conscious and recognizing that they would not have life if it was not for the fact that God is good. There will be waves of happenings that will cause the Lord to speak to our hearts and say, just as He did through the profit Haggai, “Consider your ways.” There will be waves on people leaving the church, forgoing the assembly of the saints – not for any good, acceptable reasons, but just because they have free will and they don’t see the benefits of being in the special presence of the Lord in the sanctuary. How wrong they are!
My friends, look at what Peter did in our text in the storm. He cried out to the Master. He looked to Jesus to see him through the summer storm. We must do the same. We must do as the writer of Hebrews said during these summer months. If we do, we will be alright.
What exactly did the writer, under the inspiration of God say? See following verses for the answer to that question.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].” (Hebrews 12:1-2 says in the Amplified Bible)
I hope I have moved you, motivated you to a degree, to model the way for other believers, so that we, the universal church. can keep going forward…during the summer storm. I hope pews will be filled and the perfection of every church’s ministries will prosper in the months ahead – during the summer storm. Be blessed!
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King