Recently, I saw a beautiful painting of a man from behind, presumably Jesus, walking on a lovely, calm stretch of water. He is portrayed as peaceful and, at the same time, powerful. The artwork moved me, and I felt chills run down my arms.

The longer I sat there, the more I started running through the Bible story of Jesus walking on the water in Matthew chapter 14. In that account, the disciples are out on the sea, and their boat is “buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.” Jesus finishes praying, and he goes out to them, walking on the lake.

They all see Jesus and are terrified, thinking it is a ghost. They call out to him in fear, and Jesus says, “Take courage; it is I.” Peter says to Jesus, “If it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.”

Peter steps out of the boat. He sees the wind and waves, becomes afraid, and begins to sink. The storm is still blowing, and the lake is rough. The wind dies after Jesus grabs Peter from sinking and climbs in the boat (Matthew 14:32).

The Biblical story is straightforward: Jesus does not take a leisurely stroll on the lake on a quiet afternoon. He walks out onto a raging sea pushed back and forth by the driving wind. Jesus is present with the disciples in the wind and the waves. 

Far too often, I meet people who express an interest in faith, Jesus, or the Church, but they want to wait until “things calm down” to make any commitment. Their life is hectic, and it feels like they are always running against the wind. I respond that Jesus wants to be present with you in those wind-blown moments. He is powerful and wants to bring peace to our lives, but only when we trust him in the wind.