Over the last several days, I have been reading and studying the scripture in Matthew 14:22-32 when Jesus walks on the water. I know that most of you have heard this story many times and I have as well, but I love digging in familiar scripture a little deeper and allowing the Holy Spirit to grow me more! There is so much we can learn from just this short passage!
Matthew 14:22-32
“Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night 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.
One of the first things that really struck me was that Jesus always made time to spend with the Father. Here they had just finished up the great miracle when Jesus fed thousands of people with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and he sent the disciples on ahead to the boat so he could go to the mountainside to pray. Jesus knew the importance of spending that quiet time alone with the Father and always made it a priority. So right away when I began reading in verse 22, I was already convicted of my quiet time with God. I know schedules can be very busy, but time with the Father should be the top priority on my list. It is a necessity to my soul to spend this time alone with my Lord!
So here we have the disciples out in the water on a boat after a very busy day. Jesus is on the mountaintop praying and night falls. The boat by now is a pretty good distance from land so Jesus began walking out to them. The Bible says, “they were terrified and cried out “It’s a ghost”. I can only imagine how terrifying that must have been but then Jesus immediately speaks, “Don’t be afraid, it is I”. You would think that right there all their fears were erased but only one had the faith to speak up. Peter says “Lord, if it’s you tell me to come to you on the water.” As Peter was saying this, imagine what the others were doing. They were probably all crouched down hiding behind him. Haha! But just then, Jesus speaks one word, “Come”. Some people may question Peter’s motive here thinking that he was putting Jesus to the test, but I see it as a huge leap of faith on Peter’s part. He had faith that Jesus would take care of him. As soon as Jesus said, “come”, Peter got out of the boat and began walking toward Jesus! Amazing! His faith caused him to do something completely out of his power. He was walking on the water straight toward Jesus! This was truly the work of Jesus and he would have missed it if he stayed in the boat.
When I think about the many opportunities that God has put in front of me, how many have I missed it because I didn’t get out of the boat? How many times has Jesus said to me, “come”, but my faith wasn’t strong enough and I missed the amazing opportunity to see his miraculous work? It has really made me ponder the opportunities that God has in front of me now. If I want to walk on the water as Peter did, I have to get out of the boat! Peter was the only disciple to act on his faith and experience this astonishing demonstration of God’s power. I don’t want to miss it, do you?
You know, the story doesn’t end there. Peter began his walk toward Jesus but then something happened. A distraction. The waves picked up and where did his attention go? That’s right, straight to his fear. He took his eyes off of Jesus and diverted his attention to the waves and he began to sink. We can read this of Peter and say, “Why did you do that, Jesus was right there?” but how many times do we do the same thing? Peter immediately cried out to Jesus to save him and Jesus reached down his loving hand and caught him. What a reminder to me that no matter what trouble comes my way, don’t take my eyes off of him! Peter had the faith to walk on water to Jesus, but he allowed a distraction to make his faith falter and began to fall. But in his distress, he remembers that Jesus is the only One that can help. There are many things in this story that sound like my life. No, I wasn’t walking on water, but I have acted on my faith only to let a distraction interrupt and cause me to fall. But you see, it is during the fall, that I cry out to my Jesus because I know the greatness of his love for me and he will reach down his mighty hand and lift me up! Hallelujah!
What a moving story of faith and power! I know I don’t want to be stuck in the boat. I want to have the kind of faith that makes me jump out of the boat toward my Jesus no matter what is brewing around me. I want my focus solely on him because it is there where peace abounds! The presence of Christ! As I begin my week, I will look for those priceless opportunities of faith to “get out of the boat”! Jesus is my focus and I don’t want to miss one minute!
Oh, sweet Jesus, give me the astounding faith of Peter to get out of the boat! So much awaits on the other side and I want your glory to shine! In faith your glory is revealed! I pray that my eyes stay focused on you and that distractions will not get in the way. Lord, help me to remember in my weakness that you are strength. May I always cry out to you in my distress because you are the only One that can help! You are Almighty God, Redeemer, Savior, and Helper! You are the Great I AM and I am so in love with you!
Your child,
Allison
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