Faith That Steps Out of the Boat

The story of Peter trying to walk towards Jesus on the water, as recorded in Matthew chapter 14, (and parts of the story can also be found in Mark chapter 6, and John chapter 6), is a popular one in which the focus is often on Peter’s supposed impulsiveness to act before thinking, and on his sinking failure. I propose a different angle.

Jesus had just finished speaking to a huge crowd, after which he fed over 5,000 people to their satisfaction, with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. A massive miracle the disciples had been witnesses to!

First, after this event Jesus tells his disciples to go ahead of him while he dismissed the crowd.

Whichever version of the bible you read, you’ll see that Jesus did not simply ask his disciples to go on ahead without him. He made them, told them, constrained them, compelled them, forced them, to do just that. Does this mean that the disciples wanted to stay with Jesus, so much so, he had to make them go on ahead without him?

Whether or not that was the case, I still find it amazing that the disciples did not question Jesus, did not refute him, nor did they refuse to do as they were told. They all obeyed Jesus. They clearly recognized his authority and his leadership, had been around him often enough, and had previously been given instructions by him in other situations, to know he had his reasons for telling them to go on ahead. Whatever Jesus’ reasons were, the disciples knew he would meet up with them later. So, Jesus was not in the boat with them when the weather turned.

Secondly, the skies were dark when they found themselves in the middle of the lake, a considerable distance from the shore, and unable see through the darkness to quickly get to the safety of firm land. This darkness would have hampered their perception of how distant they were from the shore, to see clearly which direction they were headed in, and which course they should steer their boat towards.

As seasoned fishermen, I’m sure they recognized the how quickly the weather was changing, preventing any opportunity to return to dry land. It would have been very scary to be suddenly surrounded by such darkness, unable to see what’s around, behind, beside or in front of them.

Thirdly, the wind was blowing, and the waves rose with a roar as the once calm waters became increasingly rough. They were straining at the oars, unable to control their boat as it was buffeted, knocked about, banged around and pounded upon. It took everything in them to try to keep their boat from being filled with water and capsizing into choppy waters. Their minds were probably consumed with thoughts of what their fate would be if they were thrown into the turbulent waters with no one around to rescue them.

In addition to the darkness, the strong wind, the high waves, tumultuous waters, feeling unsafe, and being afraid for their lives, they see something or someone walking towards them on these angry waters. In their minds it had to be some kind of supernatural apparition or ghost because they knew it was impossible for a living person to walk on water at all, and even more incredible to be walking on an unpredictable, tempestuous sea.

Now, Matthew is the only one who goes further and records the account of Peter walking on this rough sea. He tells us that after Jesus communicates that it’s him and they should not be afraid, that Peter asks him, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Peter knew Jesus’ voice and would recognize it when Jesus spoke to him. And Peter was ready to believe that it was Jesus.

Having more courage and being more assertive with Jesus than the rest of the disciples, Peter ventures to walk on the stormy sea, just like the master he loved. Peter was the only one who dared to step out of that boat. He was the only one to trust Jesus enough to even try. He was the only one who believed “if Jesus could do this, so could I”; “if Jesus called me to walk on the water with him, I certainly could do that”.

Peter was willing to go to Jesus, through the danger, through the tempest, through the terrible wind, through the rough waves. By faith Peter stepped out of that boat towards Jesus, with the power of Jesus’ one simple word to him, “come”. How many of us today would do just that? Would I dare to follow in Peter’s footsteps of total belief and trust in Jesus? Would I follow as easily if Jesus told me to “come”?

Let’s not judge and condemn Peter when he looked around at the waves, the wind, the storm, and began to sink. Let’s instead do exactly as Peter did. When the challenges of this life threaten to destroy us, and swallow us up in its deep waters, I hope that like Peter, we’ll cry out, “Lord, save me!”.

You see, even as he was sinking, Peter did not stop believing that it was Jesus he was walking towards; he did not stop believing that Jesus told him to walk on the water; he did not think that it was Jesus who caused him to sink. Peter’s faith in Jesus was as strong and steady as ever. He knew that only the Lord could save him from sinking, from being swallowed up in the storm, and from drowning. Peter knew and trusted that Jesus would indeed save him. And Jesus did exactly that.

So, to me, Peter is to be admired for his faith in Jesus, not ridiculed or judged for sinking, because how many of us would actually be like the other disciples who stayed in the boat instead of walking towards Jesus, no matter what is happening around us?

It’s my hope that each one of us would act as Peter did. That like Peter, we too, with faith, hope and trust, would take that bold step of obedience, get out of our boats, and walk on the turbulent waves swirling around us, towards Jesus. And whenever we feel ourselves sinking and fear kicks in, we would reach out and call on him with the knowledge that Jesus is always ready and willing to save us.

What resonated the most with you as you read this?

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