All Eyes on Him

Tonight I was reading my son a children's bible story about Peter walking out onto the waves toward Jesus.  What I love SO much about scripture is it's great relevance, whether you're 5 or 85, and that there's always potential to gain some new insight that you didn't see before, if your heart is open to it.  And as I sat and typed this it occurred to me that I already did a blog entry about getting OUT of the boat (haha, I tend to have a slight memory issue) ...so this one focuses on trusting Him once you're out.

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 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?”
³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”   -matthew 14:22-33

Verse 26 reminds me of times when we fear what's ahead and we don't recognize God's hand is at work.  God is an absolute.  He is good, all the time.  We may not always like what we see ahead, but we can be sure He's there when we get there.  His plan is perfect.  He never changes.  His love for us never changes.  And He will always be with us.  We may have times when we feel we can't see or feel Him but His promise remains...He will never leave us or forsake us.

Then in verse 27, when the disciples express fear,  Jesus immediatly offers comfort and reassures his friends.  "It is I!  Don't be afraid!" 

In verse 28, Peter wants proof. What I love is that even in Peter's moment of doubt and testing, Jesus continues to reassure, rather than rebuke.  Peter literally asked Jesus to "prove it, and let me walk on water too!"

And Peter did!  He asked, and he received.  Jesus allowed Peter to experience walking on water, as long as PETER's FAITH would allow, anyway.  Is there something you may never know because you haven't yet totally trusted God with it?

 And then we get to the kicker- verse 30 and 31.
When Peter saw the wind and the waves, he began to sink.  Isn't that what we do?  As soon as we allow our thoughts to wander from truth to dark little places of doubt and worry, fear takes over like a crashing wave, and we're hopeless and helpless in it's grasp.  It's only when Peter's eyes stayed on Jesus, that he was able to do the unimagineable...walk on water!  And it's only when we keep our focus on Him and His power and love, that we are able to do great things amidst a storm!

The ultimate message of this passage, though, is that Jesus reached out to Peter as he sank and caught him. 

And if Peter had not reached out to grasp his hand, he wouldn't have lived to tell about it.  Are you struggling and sinking, and gasping for breath?  Reach out, because He's waiting to take your hand.