Waterskiing is a very popular recreational activity on our local Center Hill Lake, an activity first introduced in July, 1922 by an 18-year-old on Lake Pepin in Lake City, Minnesota.  Ralph Samuelson used a pair of boards as skis and a clothesline as a towrope, and decided that leaning backwards in the water with ski tips up was the best way to waterski.  His brother towed him at speeds up to 20 mph, and he spent fifteen years performing shows and teaching water skiing to people all over the United States.

        “Words from Above” in the Bible tell us that long before waterskiing was ever invented, our Lord and Savior Jesus traveled across a body of water by simply walking on the water.  It all began one day when Jesus was teaching the crowds in a desert area, and after a long day, His disciples urged Him to send the people home so they could get something to eat.  Jesus suggested that the disciples give the people something to eat, but they didn’t have enough food to feed such a large crowd, and they said that it would cost a lot of money to feed the large crowd.  But, at the direction of Jesus, they were able to find five loaves of bread and two fish, and He then proceeded to feed the multitude with them.  Afterwards, when the crowd had eaten all they wanted, the disciples gathered up twelve baskets of leftovers, which was ironically the exact number of the disciples of Jesus that He had originally chosen to follow Him.

        Jesus then sent the disciples to go in a ship to the other side of the lake, and then He sent the people home.  Next He spent time in prayer on a nearby mountain before catching up to them in the middle of the lake by walking on the water.  When they saw Him walking on the water, they thought He was a spirit and became frightened, but He immediately calmed their fears.  This all happened while the winds were blowing furiously, but when He joined them in the ship, the wind stopped blowing.

        However, before Jesus entered the ship, Peter asked Him to allow him to walk to Him on the water, and Jesus agreed.  Peter actually began to walk on the water, but when he saw the wind blowing so furiously, he suddenly became afraid and as a result began to sink.  But, fortunately for Peter, he cried out to the Lord to save him, so Jesus then reached out His hand and caught Peter.  Jesus then asked Peter why he had ever doubted being able to walk on the water. 

Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville.  Everyone is welcome to attend.  For information, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.