Separation Anxiety

 "Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.  When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. 'It’s a ghost,' they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.'

 'Lord, if it’s you,' Peter replied, 'tell me to come to you on the water.'

 'Come,' he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'

 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. 'You of little faith,' he said, 'why did you doubt?'

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.  Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.'"

                                                                  Matthew 14:22-33

My nine month old son is crawling around the living room like a champ, but like our other children at this age, if he feels alone or doesn't see one of us in the room, he starts crying.  Separation anxiety.  He will sit there and cry until someone calls out to him and we are in his line of sight again.  

This happened the other morning when we were busy about the house, trying to get folded laundry put away.  (a never ending task)  I heard him loudly crying out and returned to the living room.  He had gotten himself so worked up that he couldn't find me when I called to him so I quickly got to the floor and laid on my belly, down at his level.  

"I'm right here!" I called, "You're okay!"  The largest, heart-warming grin came over his face and he immediately picked himself up off his belly and crawled to me across the room.  We giggled and laughed together and he knew he was fine.

It reminded me so much of the story of Jesus walking on water and Peter taking his eyes off of Jesus.  Without Jesus in sight, Peter lost faith and began to sink, crying out for help.  

How many of us suffer from separation anxiety from Jesus and don't even realize it?  

There have been times in our lives when we are crying out like my little son; depressed, worried, scared, angry...desperate to know we are not alone.  But Jesus is right there on His belly, down at our level calling, "I'm right here!"  "You're okay!" He wants nothing more than for us to pick ourselves up off our bellies and come crawling to Him as fast as we can so He can scoop us up.