Hello everyone,
I want to share this devotional with you.
Matthew 14: 26-31
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
Matthew records this account of Jesus walking on water. In this passage we see that the disciples were afraid and Jesus comforts them in saying “It is I.” Peter asks a bold question, “If it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Peter had to have trusted Jesus in order to ask that of Jesus. Peter steps out of the boat and begins to walk towards Jesus. As soon as his eyes are off of Jesus and onto the situation he began to sink and cries out “Lord save me!” In a split second he went from walking on the water to being afraid and started to sink. Jesus reached out his hand, caught him and brought him back into the boat. Jesus doesn’t just catch him, he questions why Peter doubted him and why he had little faith.
Some of us may have read this passage many times, have you noticed the courage Peter had to ask Jesus to tell him to come and walk on the water? Do we have the courage to go where God has called us to go, even when it is uncertain and sometimes unpredictable? Have we had times where we cry out to Jesus Lord Save me? Do we take His hand and have Him lead us to where He wants us to go. With the certainty that He will be with us and is walking alongside of us as we obey and have faith. Although Peter doubted and was afraid it did not stop Jesus from saving him when he cried out. When we are in moments of fear, doubt or uncertainty may we have the courage to take Jesus hand and walk out in faith, as well in knowing that even when we do fall and stumble Jesus is there to catch us when we cry out to Him. May this be an encouragement as we see Jesus catching Peter, he is walking hand in hand with Him back to the boat. Jesus is walking with us hand in hand to where He wants to take us and focus our eyes on Him.
Blessings,
Esther