“But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out for fear. But immediately he spoke to them, saying, “Take heart, it is I; have no fear.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus” –Matthew 14” 26-29
Life is filled with wonderful possibilities. We often stop ourselves from taking advantage of these chances because we tell ourselves it is impossible. We have dreams and hopes that appear far out of our reach. It is often fear that keeps us from trying to achieve our goals. Fear clouds our judgment and frequently keeps us from seizing the opportunities right in front of us.
I can only imagine the fear that grabbed the disciples that evening when they saw Jesus walking on the water. Surely, as they looked out across the sea, they must have thought their eyes were playing tricks on them. After all, they were tired. It had been a full day with Jesus as he taught the people and then fed the 5,000 people with just a few loaves of bread and two fish. Now, they were making the long journey across the Sea of Galilee.
As Jesus approached the boat, the disciples were confused and “terrified.” Jesus calms the fears in the boat by calling out to his disciples. He tells them, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” This brought some comfort to Peter, who called back and offered to come out on the water if it indeed was Jesus. Jesus invited him to “Come.”
Peter stepped out on the water in what had to be one of the most amazing and terrifying moments of his life. Peter stood on the water; he took several steps! What an adventure! However, it did not take long for him to begin to sink and for fear to seize him once again.
This scripture teaches us an important point about living life with great courage. Peter “Saw the wind, and he was afraid.” Therefore, he began to sink. Had he kept his focus on Jesus, his journey would have been different. Our faith does not teach us to ignore the reality of the dangers around us; it teaches us to trust the One who calls us out of the safety of the boat. Our focus determines our journey. When we keep our eyes on Jesus, we will find a life full of great possibilities, and maybe we will even find ourselves walking on water.
-Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
