Matthew 14:28-31 ESV And Peter answered Him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He (Jesus) said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of him (Peter), saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
This short passage is a treasure chest of lessons from God. Every time I’ve heard someone preach/teach on this, the main lesson is a warning against doubting God. That is certainly one aspect of these verses but there is so much more. So much is here in fact, that we will camp out here for the next few blog posts.
The disciples were on the lake in a boat during a storm. They saw Jesus walking toward them and were afraid because they thought He was a ghost. Jesus assured them by speaking to them and Peter responded by asking to come to Jesus. There was a lot of faith involved there. Peter asked to GET OUT OF THE BOAT. He saw Jesus walking on the water and he wanted to go to Him.
People seem to focus on Peter sinking but I have always been impressed at his willingness to step out of his comfort zone to be where Jesus was. Peter knew perfectly well that he could not walk on water by his own power but He believed that Jesus could make this happen so he left the safety of the boat and started doing the impossible because Jesus told him to “Come.”
Christians need this kind of faith. When we see God somewhere, we should want to go there, even if doing so is impossible. Follow Peter’s example, ask first. We don’t want to get ahead of God. But if God invites us to join Him, don’t let the impossibility of the task deter you. Let’s be clear, PETER DID WALK ON WATER! If God invites us to do something He will make it possible no matter what the circumstances, or other people, tell us.
Not only did Peter get out of the boat but for a period of time he was successful. We aren’t told how far he walked but he closed the gap between himself and Jesus so that by the time he started sinking he was within arm’s reach. As long as Peter’s attention was firmly on obeying Jesus command he was capable of doing whatever it took to meet that goal. He wasn’t just walking on a calm lake either. The wind was up. Peter was stepping over waves, possibly traversing very uneven terrain. The footing didn’t matter, the situation didn’t matter, Jesus had called and Peter walked to Him.
As long as our focus is fixed firmly on God, we will be able to do whatever He commands us. If He calls for us to break a habit, while we remain focused on Him, we can have victory over anything, no matter how long we have been in bondage. If God sends us into a ministry, we will be successful even if it means facing down giants, figurative or literal. We can do all things through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:13) as long as we are in God’s will and trusting Him.
Trust God! Believe His promises. He will make you successful at whatever He has called you to do as long as your faith does not waiver.
Almighty God, You are sovereign. Nothing can thwart your plans. That means, as long as we are obeying You, nothing can defeat us. We can do even the impossible if that is what You have commanded!