With the first breath of spring my thoughts turn to the Easter Season and one of the most profound experiences I’ve ever had.
It was a tourist boat, made to look like a replica of the old fishing boats that once worked on the Sea of Galilee. I’m not sure how much it actually resembled the real boats, but having seen The Robe, Ben Hur and Demitrius and The Gladiators, it was good enough for me.
The weather was calm the day we were there. I tried to imagine the kind of storm that would have brought deep distress into the hearts of those disciples who followed the carpenter’s son from Nazareth. I couldn’t. But there’s something that happens to you when you’re in that place, that holy land, that changes the way you envision everything biblical. Being there not only causes you to see things differently, but you hear things differently as well. In whatever tone I had heard the voice of the Good Shepherd before, I heard it differently in my heart and in my mind, after walking where He walked and on this particular day, sailing where He sailed.
The tour guide invited us to join him as he read from the New Testament the story of Jesus calming the stormy sea and walking on the water. I almost didn’t open my Bible because I had already read this story dozens of times and thought I knew it, and its meaning, by heart. A passionate disciple, Peter, sees his friend walking on the water, jumps out of the boat to greet Him, takes a few steps, then panics and sinks. What I’d always liked about the story is that Peter, a cherished friend of the Man from Galilee, could falter and receive a reprimand from the Master for losing faith. If Peter could blow it, I didn’t feel so bad about myself, and the times I had questioned and lost faith.
Moments before the tour group began to read the account, something inside told me to listen up. My immediate response was, “Why? I know this story.”
The inner feelings returned and whispered, “Listen up, Michael, you might learn something.” It got my attention. I opened to the book of Matthew, chapter 14 and followed along.
…the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled saying, It is a spirit and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
And Peter answered him and said, Lord if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus…
Reading along I wasn’t seeing anything new or profound. The story hadn’t changed much since the last time I’d read it, and just as we were about to read the part where Peter tries and fails to reach Jesus by walking on the water, the whispering voice inside penetrated even deeper into my own soul, with a real sense of urgency, and said again, “Michael, listen more closely. You might learn something.”
At this point, the tour guide reminded us of the fact that the Peter we were reading about was actually named Simon, and that his friend Jesus had given him a nick name: Petrus, which means rock. For some reason, I imagined Peter looking like a Jewish Rocky. Strong, intense, loving, and loyal. Not a character from a fairytale, but a living, breathing human being. I looked out at the sea and imagined that person leaving us to be with his dearest friend.
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
And then something changed me forever. I saw that “rock” sink and I heard him cry out to his friend, and I felt the fear, and I didn’t want to hear him criticized. I wanted to explain that Peter was just trying to do his best, and he was the only one passionate enough and willing to dare to reach out for his Lord. It was as if in my heart I was crying out to Jesus, “Go easy on him. He’s just a guy who loves You so much. Don’t tell him he’s failed.”
When the tour guide read the following words I braced myself, because I wanted the story to be different than I had remembered it. And the miracle is, it was.
And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him…
I saw it in my mind’s eye and I started to cry. I wasn’t sure why I was crying, only that I felt like I was there and I was seeing it happen in front of me. Then, as the words of the scriptures were read aloud I heard a different voice than the one reading.
O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt….that I would save you.
And then I heard a conversation that wasn’t written in the book of Matthew, but it felt like scripture to me at that time. I heard Jesus explain to Peter that He wasn’t disappointed in him for sinking in the water…that’s what rocks do…He wanted Peter to know that no matter what the circumstances, no matter what the fear, no matter what the opposition, at the moment he reaches out and cries, ‘Lord save me’, he will ALWAYS be heard, and rescued.
I then saw, in my mind’s eye, Jesus holding Peter close, and they had words together which I couldn’t hear. What impressed me was how close those two men were, embracing on the waters of the Sea of Galilee, and talking as Jesus walked Peter back to the boat. I sensed a kind of love I’d never before imagined between those two. And I wanted it for myself, but couldn’t imagine ever being that close to the King of Kings.
And then the voice inside said gently, “Wherefore didst thou doubt.”
At that moment, Jesus wasn’t “out there” somewhere in the Heavens, looking down on me, wondering when I was going to take a false step and blow it. He was next to me. Holding me up, whispering in my ear, being the best friend I would ever have and making me feel like He felt grateful to be loved by me, and not just the other way around. How could He be so wonderful? How could He be so real? How could He be so close?
Before my trip I had wondered why Jesus had so many other names.
Emmanuel, Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Stem of Jesse, Mighty One of Jacob, Servant of the Lord, the Messiah, the Messenger of the covenant, Redeemer, Holy One of Israel, Blessed of God, Son of David, Son of Abraham, Son of Man, Jesus of Galilee, Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God, Nazarene, Only Begotten of the Father, The Lamb of God, Meek and Lowly, Prophet of Nazareth, King of the Jews, Savior , Mediator, Light of the World, The Bread of Life, The Good Shepherd, The Way, the Truth, the Life, The true vine, The Rock of our Salvation, The first fruits of them that Slept, The forerunner, Advocate with the Father, , King of Kings, Lord of Lords, The Living Stone, The deliverer, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the Word, The Almighty, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, the Lamb, The bright and morning star.
And then it dawned on me. He wants to be close to us, and wants nothing to cause us to think He can’t relate to us, to our needs, to our challenges, to our experiences. And He wants us to know that He can be EVERYTHING we need.
There is One who to this garden comes
Like a most unusual rain
Drink it in and never thirst again
Living Water is His name
There is one who comes to find each one
Who has lost their way again
He will lead the way back to the fold
The Good Shepherd is His name
There is one who when your crying’s done
Gives the gifts you’ve never known
He’ll give fruit because He is the Vine
And Life, for He’s the Living Stone
He is known by oh so many names
And will be forever more
Hope comes from the One with many names
And He’s not forgotten yours
No, He’s not forgotten yours.
Listen to “The Man with Many Names”
