Week 6
Between three and six o’clock in the morning, Jesus came to them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were afraid and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But quickly Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Cheer up! It is I! Do not be afraid.”
Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come!”
Peter stepped down from the boat and walked on the waters to come to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was strong, he became afraid and began to sink. He cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “Your faith is small. Why did you doubt?” —Matt. 14:25–31
Peter actually walked on water—until fear interrupted his faith. But this was not the first act of faith Jesus asked of Peter. Another time, Jesus asked him to cast his net on the other side of the boat after he had spent all night fishing without success. When he obeyed, his net was filled to the breaking point.
Like Peter, we often begin in boldness, only to find our confidence shaken by life’s “wind and waves.” Still, as we grow in faith, Jesus will ask more of us, not less.
In the story we read today, Jesus asks Peter to exercise more faith. Expect him to do the same with you as you grow in maturity. With every challenge, he offers his presence and his hand when we start to sink. When fear rises, it’s often a sign that trust is faltering. That awareness is a gift—it can lead us straight back to Jesus. Trust that God will enable you to obey his will, however impossible it seems to you.
Reflection Questions
What has God called you to do in the past that seemed beyond your ability at the time?
What is God calling you to do now that seems beyond your ability to obey?
Lord, what are you teaching me in today’s reading?
Lord, what else have you said to me through thoughts, circumstances, conversations, emotions, or the work of the enemy?
Lord, what do you want me to do: At home? At work? In ministry?