HOST: Michael Whitworth
SPONSOR: Logos Bible Software
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to 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. 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, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Peter did the impossible! Can you imagine the feeling of stepping out of the boat and resting your foot on the unsteady surface of the wind-tossed sea? Just to take that step required an incredible amount of courage and faith. But Peter’s faith was no match for the boisterous wind. As the winds howled and the waves crashed, Peter lost his focus on Jesus and, with it, his faith. Just as his faith had allowed him to stand upon the water, his fear caused him to sink into it. In one final, desperate plea, Peter calls out to the Lord for salvation. As we consider this amazing event, there are so many parallels to our own lives for us to learn from. As we face the many storms of life—hardships, trials, sorrows—we are called to step away from the comfort of the familiar and trust God with our lives. But just like Peter, we can often find ourselves distracted by the chaos around us, losing our focus and faith, and sinking into despair and hopelessness. May God help us to be strong in our faith and, like Peter, to look to Him for help in our times of greatest struggle.
How can our faith in God help us as we face the storms of life?
Don’t forget to pray and have a great day!
