Isn’t This The Carpenter’s Son?
January/26/2008 Filed in: Daily Walk
Series
• New
Testament Reading: Matthew 13:53-14:36
• Old Testament Passages: Isaiah 40:27-31
• Points to Ponder
“Isn’t This The Carpenter’s Son?”
Do you ever find yourself, while reading the gospel accounts, becoming critical of the twelve? I know
I do! There they were walking with Jesus in the flesh, hearing his words and watching him perform
miracles day after day. Yet, so often, we read about their faithless responses, both in word and deed!
And I think to myself, “I wish I had the privilege of being there! I wouldn’t be so slow to believe!”
Yet when I take just a few moments and think clearly, I understand that I would have, no doubt,
responded in a similar fashion. And indeed, even now, with more evidence than they had, I have my
times when I struggle with doubt and certainly demonstrate my own faithlessness. Then I become
very grateful for two things.
First, I thank God for the example of Jesus’ patience and persistence with the twelve. While he
didn’t ignore or excuse their faithlessness, neither did he give up on them. I am so grateful God
didn’t give up on me in my hours/days of “little faith”. Second, I thank God for the opportunities he
gives me to grow in my faith and the times he calls me out of the boat during the storms of life so
that I can learn to trust in him more and be more convinced than ever that “truly” Jesus is “the Son
of God”.
• Questions to Consider: In what ways and in what circumstances lately have you demonstrated
either complete trust in Jesus as the Son of God or that you are “of little faith”? In what ways is
Jesus calling you out of the boat (your comfort zone) to walk towards him on the water? What
are the winds and the waves that you fear?
• Old Testament Passages: Isaiah 40:27-31
• Points to Ponder
“Isn’t This The Carpenter’s Son?”
Do you ever find yourself, while reading the gospel accounts, becoming critical of the twelve? I know
I do! There they were walking with Jesus in the flesh, hearing his words and watching him perform
miracles day after day. Yet, so often, we read about their faithless responses, both in word and deed!
And I think to myself, “I wish I had the privilege of being there! I wouldn’t be so slow to believe!”
Yet when I take just a few moments and think clearly, I understand that I would have, no doubt,
responded in a similar fashion. And indeed, even now, with more evidence than they had, I have my
times when I struggle with doubt and certainly demonstrate my own faithlessness. Then I become
very grateful for two things.
First, I thank God for the example of Jesus’ patience and persistence with the twelve. While he
didn’t ignore or excuse their faithlessness, neither did he give up on them. I am so grateful God
didn’t give up on me in my hours/days of “little faith”. Second, I thank God for the opportunities he
gives me to grow in my faith and the times he calls me out of the boat during the storms of life so
that I can learn to trust in him more and be more convinced than ever that “truly” Jesus is “the Son
of God”.
• Questions to Consider: In what ways and in what circumstances lately have you demonstrated
either complete trust in Jesus as the Son of God or that you are “of little faith”? In what ways is
Jesus calling you out of the boat (your comfort zone) to walk towards him on the water? What
are the winds and the waves that you fear?