“Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ And He said, ‘Come!’ And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” (Matthew 14: 28-30, NAS)
We read this passage and wonder how Peter could’ve been full of trust and walking on the water one minute and then, in an instant, sinking beneath the surface. It’s obvious to us, 2000 years later, that he stayed on top of the waves as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus. Peter, Peter—how could you be so faithless, so flaky?
Oh, I think I’m very much like Peter. The storms of life come along (illness, financial struggles, etc.), and I wonder why I feel like I’m sinking deep into the dark, dangerous water of life. If I step back and get still before God—I will have to admit that I took my eyes off of the Lord. Why is it so easy to look at the turmoil nearby instead of focusing on the One who can save us from seemingly overpowering circumstances?
My humanness is so frustrating sometimes! It’s not that God turns away from me—it’s that I turn away from Him and try to do things on my own. The Lord has brought me through so many difficult times. So, why do I still take my eyes off Him in the midst of the noise in life? Instead, my concentration drifts to the things of the world—good and bad—and I forget about my Savior. And like Peter, I soon find myself sinking and calling out to the Lord for deliverance and restoration. But, there is good news! Even though Peter’s distress was because of his lack of faith at that moment, Jesus rescued him: “Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him . . .” (Matthew 14:31a, NAS)
I like the way The Message puts this verse: “Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand.”
Read that again—Jesus didn’t HESITATE. Peter didn’t have to beg his Savior to help him. Jesus didn’t insist that Peter first built up that shaky faith before He reached out and saved him from drowning. No, He rescued the frightened disciple right then and before the waves could completely overtake him. However, Jesus did want Peter and the others to learn from what happened: “and said to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, ‘You are certainly God’s Son!’” (Matthew 14:31b-33, NAS) Hopefully, the next time one of them met a challenge, they were able to keep their eyes on Jesus.
So, take heart. God is with you. He will not let you sink, and He will bring you through whatever you are facing right now. Call on Him. Let Him be your Savior.
©2013 Tammy Maseberg All Rights Reserved