Matthew 14:28-31

 

 

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, “Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?”  

Matthew 14: 28-31

Everyone knows the story about Jesus walking on the water.  It is likely one of the most popular New Testament stories in the Bible.  When we consider all the great exploits Jesus performed during His time on earth, it is easy to accept that it really happened.  After all, walking on water should be easy enough for deity, right?

But have you considered that there is another man who also walked on water?  Not much is said about Peter’s jaunt outside the boat.  But here is a man – a totally natural man – who stepped out of the boat onto the sea and walked on the water.  We don’t know how far he walked.  We are only told he “came to Jesus.”  Just to stand up outside a boat in the middle of the sea is more than amazing.  But he took some number of steps and actually walked across that water!

But something happened once he came to Jesus.  He took his eyes off Jesus and looked around at the wind.  This caused him to become afraid.  And becoming afraid caused him to begin to sink.  So here is this man who has walked away from his boat on top of the water, who is now sinking into the water, and has absolutely nothing to grab on to that naturally makes sense.  This is a hopeless situation for Peter.  In his hopeless state, he looks back to Jesus and cries out to him, “Lord save me!”

It was not until Peter turned back to Jesus and asked for help that Jesus then grabbed on to Peter.  We can only assume that he placed Peter back on top of that water and Peter once again walked on it back to the boat, because we are told that “when they got back into the boat, the wind ceased” (verse 32).

Several things really stand out in this story.

1.  Peter – a natural man – walked on the water. That was a supernatural feat.

2.  As long as Peter’s attention was on Jesus, he was able to walk on that water.

3.  Once Peter’s attention was diverted away from Jesus to his circumstances, he was no longer able to walk supernaturally – and – fear was able to come in.

4.  As soon as Peter placed his attention back on Jesus, he was once again able to walk supernaturally.

We are all faced with the same decision Peter was faced with.  You might not be outside a boat on a stormy night, but you do face daunting circumstances that easily invite fear in.  A decision must be made.  Will you focus on your circumstances and all the potential destruction they foretell, fearing and sinking?  Or will you focus on Jesus Christ, the Word made manifest, and walk supernaturally on top of those circumstances?

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Scripture of the week is designed to assist you in renewing your mind through the Word of God.  We choose a scripture and include a short message pertaining to the verses so that you can meditate on them for the week.  Please do not read it once and move on.  Print it out and read it over and over during the week so that your mind can be reprogrammed (Romans 12:2) in the supernatural Word of God!