By Steve McRee
Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”
But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”
Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”
“Yes, come,” Jesus said.
So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.
—Matthew 14:25-29
You have to love Peter. Even though he grew afraid once he stepped out onto the water — and even though Jesus had to reach out and rescue him — he still had the courage to step out when Jesus called to him. And he did all this while the rest of the disciples were still shivering in the boat.
(*photo credit to Jocelyn Kinghorn.)
That’s the kind of trust I want to have. The kind of trust that isn’t just listening for God’s call — it’s actively saying to God, “Call me! Tell me to come to You!”
It can be a scary thing, trusting God with everything. Asking Him to take us out of our comfort zone. Often it will take us into situations we didn’t expect or toward people we hadn’t noticed before. Like Peter, sometimes we’ll feel out of our depth.
But the good news is that Jesus will always be there to reach out a hand to us. And we will know more than ever that we can trust Him — because we’ve put ourselves in a place where we’ve truly had to rely on Him alone.
Perhaps you’ve sensed God calling you toward a new step in your faith or a new opportunity to serve others in His name. I encourage you to walk forward in faith. God will never let us down!
Have you been dealing with this lately? Feel free to share your thoughts and stories in the comments section below. God bless you!