He said, “Come ahead.” Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. Matthew 14:29 (MSG)

Walking on Water – Faith Leap Series – Part 2

Go to PART 1  |  PART 2  |  PART 3

As all Jewish boys did, Peter had started Rabbi training at a young age. The fact that he was now a fisherman meant that he had not made the Rabbi cut. He was sent from school back to his family to learn his father’s trade. Only the best of the best of the best were permitted to continue their Rabbi training. A Rabbi would pick a disciple from a promising group of students by saying to them “follow me,” and they were careful to choose someone who had great potential. They chose someone they could believe in.

When Peter first met Jesus that day by the lake, and Jesus asked him,
“Follow me?”
Peter heard: “I believe in you, you can do this, you have what it takes to learn my ways.”

The message was that he was included, accepted, believed in.

Many months and experiences later, Peter was leaning over the edge of a boat, in the middle of a lake, at midnight, trying to determine if the figure walking on the water towards them was Jesus or a ghost. (Matthew 14).

“If it is you Jesus; if you can override the laws of the natural world; if you can walk tall and strong in the midst of turmoil; if you’re not consumed by the oceans tantrums; then I want to learn THAT. I want to follow you there. I want to be where you are, side by side… If it is you, tell me to come to you!”

“Come. You can do this, I am within you and before you.” Jesus replied. (Creative license used.)

So Peter leaped over the edge of the boat and onto the water. And didn’t sink.

He walked.
On water.
Like it was hard, solid ground.

He was walking towards Jesus, who was also walking on water. He could see him.

But then he started seeing other things, too. The storm was raging about him, the swell rose and fell with a messy anger; ocean spray filled his eyes and lungs, and he began to falter.

The waves were large, and he was small. Fear crept up from the souls of his feet. Only moments before they felt secure even upon the water, but now starting to slip on the wet surface, unable to catch hold.

He started to sink.

“SAVE ME…” He spluttered and hurled his voice at Jesus, desperately hoping to be heard above the storm.

He believed Jesus could save him. He believed Jesus was still walking on water, was still able to command the oceans and save his life even though they were out to sea with nothing to hang onto but each other…

Belief in Jesus was not the problem… Peter doubted himself.

He doubted whether or not he was chosen. Whether or not he was fit to walk the path. He had been rejected before, would he be rejected again? Would he be tested and found wanting?

Jesus reached out his hand, grabbed hold of Peter, and lifted him up above the waves. He looked into Peter’s eyes, as he always did, and asked,

“Faint-heart, what got into you?”

Sitting on my rock out at the point at Soldier’s Beach, watching those young boys leap off ‘Jump Rock’ and into the ocean’s deep (read Part 1 of this devotion), burying my heartache and the season past, I felt God whisper the same thing to me.

“Faint-heart, what got into you? I believe in you.”

Those boys jumped in faith (from Part 1) – faith that the ocean would tenderly receive them and faith that they could jump. A two-way street. Hope for what they could not predict or see until they did it.

Sometimes life can feel like jumping out of a boat into a raging sea, wondering if it's God or a ghost just beyond the waves.

Sometimes burying a season and moving onto something new requires a little self-belief, a little walking on water, a little (a lot) of grace.

Grace that carries us above the waves and mischievously encourages us to enjoy the ride.

“Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith.” Margaret Shepherd.

Tell us about your faith jumps… Leave us your comments below

Go to Part 3 – Jumping Out »

[vcex_image_grid columns=”3″ pagination=”false” thumbnail_link=”custom_link” link_title_tag=”true” custom_links_target=”_blank” overlay_style=”title-category-visible” columns_gap=”5″ img_hover_style=”fade-out” image_ids=”20934,20935,20937″ custom_links=”https://itunes.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1239768002?pt=118656308&ct=blog%20footer&mt=8,https://www.pktfuel.com/dailyemail,https://www.pktfuel.com/support” img_height=”350″]