“‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.” Matt 14:29,30
Complete abandonment. Peter never gave a second thought to stepping out of the boat. No deep breath, no psyching up, no preparation, no theological consideration, no examining the pros and cons. Just complete abandonment.
It made no sense. I’m sure at least one of the others tried to grab him when they realized what he was doing.
Grown men yelling and falling over each other as they tried to grab Peter’s arm. “No…wait, it’s too dangero…! You swim like a “rock”!” (Get it. I made a pun.) But he shakes their grip, his arm slips from their hands and they’re left clutching sweat and salt water. Wide eyed they stare over the side of the boat.
Are you willing to jump out of the boat when He calls? Even when it makes no sense? Or when those around you, even other Christians, tell you that you’re nuts, it will never work?
Are you completely abandoned to the sound of His voice? When He says jump, do you ask how high on the way up?
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“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!”
One minute Peter’s full of reckless abandon, the next his lungs are full of burning salt water and his heart’s full of doubt.
How quickly we lose our vision. We make a decision then come face to face with the reality of it. The wind stings our eyes to tears and the waves beat us into submission. Sometimes doubt doesn’t creep in, it bowls us over like a gale force wind.
But look at Peter’s example. It doesn’t say he struggled against the wind, reached back to the boat, or tried to swim or even tread water. He did the only thing that would save him, he cried out through the choking briny spray, “Lord, save me!”.
So the next time you look down on Peter’s lack of faith, don’t be too harsh. He was humble enough to know he couldn’t save himself, and didn’t hesitate to cry out. He knew Jesus would still be there.
When the next storm hits, don’t wait, call out His name. He’s still right there.