Theologian Zina Jacque likes to ask the question: “What is it that has most shaped who you are and how you live in the world?”1Think about that for a moment. Don’t worry. I’m not going to ask you to share.
In my study for today, Zina suggested that for Peter and the other disciples, a turning point for them wasn’t when Jesus called them to follow, it wasn’t when Jesus taught them the Beatitudes, it wasn’t even when Jesus healed people who no one could heal or blessed the two fish and five small loaves of bread and fed 5,000 people. Rather, it was when Jesus came to them while their boat was being battered by waves and the winds were against them and they were about to give up hope. Because, at least in the Gospel of Matthew, that is when they first proclaimed faith in Jesus as the Son of God.
You know this story of Jesus and then Peter walking on the water– but I want to put it into a bit of context. Earlier in this chapter, Jesus heard the gruesome story of King Herod having John the Baptist killed as the result of Herod’s stupid promise to his wife’s daughter after she performed a dance in front of his cronies. Hearing that story, Jesus retreated to a “desolate place” to grieve and to pray. But the crowd found out – and followed him. Jesus had compassion for the crowd and so he taught them and then fed them – all 5000 of them.
But then… having fed their hearts with the word of God and their bodies with bread and fish, Jesus tells his disciples to get in the boat and leave. Actually the verb is more powerful. The disciples probably don’t want to leave Jesus all alone without a boat, but he compels them to go. Then he dismisses the crowds. Finally, Jesus is alone and so he goes up the mountain to pray.
Remember, this had been his intent in going to the “desolate place.” Prayer is what grounds Jesus in his relationship to God. It’s a habit that we would be wise to follow. In this case, Jesus clearly needed that time to pray because he took a long time. It wasn’t until the 4th watch – that’s between 3 and 6 AM, before the morning light but well into the night – that Jesus went seeking the disciples.
The disciples were already weary and frightened from having their boat tossed about by a stormy wind so when they saw him, they responded not with joy but out of fear – “It is a ghost!” Jesus responds with three statements: “Take heart.” The word that is translated as heart also means courage. Be of good courage. The next statement, “it is I” – is actually the Greek for “I AM”. Jesus is not speaking in parables here but rather claims the name of God that was given to Moses: “I AM.” Finally, he tells the disciples, “Do not be afraid.”
Jesus tells the disciples not to be afraid – but of course they were. Hearing Jesus’ voice, Peter said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Was Peter taking heart, being courageous? Or was he just being Peter – speaking first and thinking later? Or…was Peter testing Jesus? These words sound a lot like what the devil said to Jesus in the wilderness… if it is you then… Whatever the reason, Jesus invites him, “Come.” And so, Peter climbs out of the boat and starts walking on the water towards Jesus. It’s all pretty cool until Peter, instead of staying focused on Jesus, starts thinking about the power of the wind around him. I wonder if it is like walking a tightrope in the air – anyone can walk on line on the ground… but if you put that line 50 feet up… that is another story. I think this is what happened to Peter. He focusing less on Jesus and rather on his own power to stay afloat when the wind is fierce and then…fear takes over…and he starts to sink.
In desperation, Peter prays, “Lord, Save Me!” Immediately, Jesus reaches out his hand and pulls Peter out of the water and says to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” They got back in the boat – and the wind stopped.
Their faith must have grown by leaps and bounds in that moment for all of the people in the boat immediately bowed down and worshipped Jesus, proclaiming, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
This moment would have been at least a part of the disciples’ answer to Zina’s question: What is it that has most shaped who you are and how you live in the world? It may not be the whole answer – I think Jesus’ resurrection would have been an even greater factor — but this moment is certainly a building block of their faith.
The next question she asks people is whether they learned this lesson in a time of trial and challenges or in a time of ease. Perhaps not surprisingly, she writes, “No matter the group—seminarians, executives, seasoned pastors, or college students—no more than 5 percent of the room has ever learned a formative lesson when everything was going well.”1 Instead, most of us report that the times of trial and challenge are where we learn the most – and, I would add – where we see God at work most closely in our lives.
This was true 25 years ago, when our country suffered the tragic events of 9/11. But even in that terrible time, God was present with us. I remember a story told by Gary Finnigan. A transit police officer in New York City, Gary was walking in the underground concourse that connected the Twin Towers. He heard a low rumble that turned into a constant explosion. The buildings came down and underground, where he was, everything went black. Completely black. The air filled with thick smoke and dust, and the walls crumbled around him.
Gary said he could hear people around him, full of fear and crying for help. But he didn’t know what to do or how to help. He had lost all sense of direction. He didn’t even know which way was up? Gary and all the others who were there were caught in the darkness. They were stuck.
But then he saw a beam of a flashlight shining right on him. And a voice spoke into the darkness, “Take my hand.” “Wait!” Gary said. “There are others behind me.” Then he turned and yelled to the people “Take my hand! We have someone who can get us out!
He couldn’t see anyone but suddenly, a hand grasped his. And then he heard the words spoken over and over, “Take my hand! Come, we have a way out! Take my hand” as the chain became longer and longer. Take my hand…
Carefully, slowly, the person with the light, the one whose hand he was holding, began to move and as he moved, so did a whole line of people, all grasping hands, until they were led out of the darkness and into the light.
There were 36 people were in that chain, holding hands and following the light. It was only later that Gary realized he never saw the face of the one with the light. Some encounter angels unawares.
As for him, Gary had faith enough to follow and heart enough to give an encouraging word – and extend his hand to the next person. Do not fear. Have courage. Take my hand. It was faith and not fear that gave those 36 people the courage to hold hands and to follow the light.2
What is it that has most shaped and formed you? It might be a traumatic event like Gary experienced. Certainly, I have had some traumatic experiences – like the car accident that I was in when I was a young woman. Those events have certainly been a part of what has shaped and formed me. As my doctor said to me then, “You will be fine because you are a person of faith.” For those words, I have been ever grateful – both for the extraordinary AND for the ordinary ways that God shows up in the breaking of the bread and in the community of Christ living and working together to share God’s Good News.
But I would add, that it isn’t only the traumatic events in our lives that shape and form us, but also the ordinary actions and ways we fill our days and weeks. Taking time for prayer, as Jesus did, strengthens our relationship with God. Worshipping God together, being fed by God’s word and by Christ’s body and blood, strengthens us and prepares us to live a life of faith – and not of fear, a life of hope and courage and not despair.
We live in turbulent times. There are wars and rumors of wars, shortages of food and inequities of health care. Nevertheless, because of our grounding in faith and prayer, we can be hope-filled because Jesus says to us – as he first said to the disciples, “Take Heart/ Be of good Courage.” And so, despite the challenges of our world, we do not need to be afraid. Instead, let us grasp the hand of Jesus and our neighbor and share the love and light of Christ with one another, taking a stand for justice, loving and caring for the neighbor and sharing Christ’s love in the world. Amen.
August 9, 2026 + Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran Church + Pastor Pamela Stalheim Lane
1 https://www.workingpreacher.org/authors/zina-jacque 2026.
2 Gary Finnigan on MPR Radio as recounted by Rev. Tania Haber.