There is so much about the Apostle Peter that I love. This is a wonderfully faithful follower of Jesus…who keeps dropping the ball. All through Scripture, he says or does things that you would just shake your head over. But the thing that puts this guy in the hall of fame is that he falls down…and never stays down! I relate to the falling down part…and I’m working on the never staying down part. One of the stories that I really embrace is when the disciples are rowing across the Sea of Galilee at night and like Gilligan’s Island…the weather started getting rough! Jesus had sent them on ahead and while they are rowing hard against the wind, he comes walking on top of the water…at night! They see him in the moonlight or maybe even in lightning flashes and think he is a ghost! Jesus calls to them and let’s them know it is him and not some ghostly spirit. Peter can’t just let this go and says to Jesus that if it is really you, then tell me to come to you on the water. So Jesus says…come on down! And Peter becomes the second person to ever walk on the surface of waves. Peter gets out…with his eyes on Jesus and when he hits that water, he is really up close and personal to the choppy waves. He looks down at them and he goes from confident, bold and charging ahead to being terrified…and he begins to sink. He yells out for Jesus to save him and Jesus physically reaches out and grabs him. And over the wind and waves Jesus must have shouted… “You have so little faith…Why did you doubt me?” Jesus and Peter got back in the boat and suddenly everything was calm. There was no wind, no waves…nothing but peaceful stillness. There is a great lesson there for you and me. There are going to be times when your “weather” starts to get rough and the future doesn’t look so good. And you turn to Jesus and want to come to him. And so you see him in the storm and begin your walk to him. But then you take your eyes off of Jesus and all you can see and think of is the storm. And you? You now believe that you can’t walk over that storm in your life. Instead, it is going to swallow you up. The mistake? You and I cannot take our eyes off of Jesus and focus on the storm. You are not master of the storms of your life. But this Jesus of the Bible is. So, trust him and even though the wind will batter you and the waves seem like they will suck you under…remember he is master of all of this. And when you trust the master and are close to him…you will be safe. Today you may feel like you can’t handle all the stuff that life is piling up on top of you. And guess what? You can’t. But this Jesus and you can beat any crisis, failure, disappointment, discouragement or storm. Don’t lose your focus…keep your eyes on this Jesus and his promises to you and in your heart and spirit, you will go from the stormy sea to the quiet rocking of the boat. Because you and Jesus are in this boat together! Here’s our Bible verse today…
Matthew 14:25-31 NLT About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. (26) When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” (27) But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” (28) Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” (29) “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. (30) But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. (31) Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ
Matthew 14:25-31 NLT About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. (26) When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” (27) But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” (28) Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” (29) “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. (30) But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. (31) Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ