In the middle of the storm, during the fourth watch of the night, Jesus began to walk on the water towards the disciples. Notice the time! Time with God is so important. If only you and I knew the time God has chosen, what a difference it would make to our lives. It is so significant that when Jesus is walking towards the disciples in that storm-tossed ship, the time He chooses is the darkest hour, when the storm is at its highest. But Jesus is there, walking towards them. (See Matthew 14:22-33)
Jesus wanted to escape from the crowd. He sent His disciples away and went up the mountain to pray until the middle of the night. Now the Sea of Galilee is not so wide, but in all that time the disciples could not get that boat across the water because of the storm that was raging. And in the middle of the storm, Jesus began to walk on the water towards the ship. I’ve heard people try and explain this miracle and they imagine that the sea was very still and calm, but in actual fact the wind was strong, the waves were nigh and Jesus was walking on the top of these waves!
So, Jesus was walking on top of the stormy sea, but notice the time! Time with God is so important. If only you and I knew the time that God has chosen, it would make so much difference to us! Here it was the fourth watch of the night. This is the most dangerous and most difficult hour in the night, the time when most people die, when the body temperature is at its lowest. It’s the time when some of the biggest fears and the biggest problems come, just before the new day dawns. It is so significant that when Jesus is walking towards the disciples in that storm-tossed ship, the time that He chooses is the darkest hour, when the storm is at its highest. The night is at its darkest. But Jesus is there! In your life and mine, there are many times when we need the power of God to deliver us. God is a God of miracles! I’ll tell you God’s timing. His timing is perfect, coming at the darkest hour, when the storm is at its fiercest and our need is the greatest.