Walking on Water

Walking on Water

One of the miracles of Jesus that strikes me the most is in Matthew chapter 14 when Jesus walks on water.

And seeing Jesus out on the water, Peter says. “Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you across the water.”

“Come” said Jesus. Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. “Lord! Save me!” he cried. Immediately, Jesus put out his hand and caught hold of him. And he looked Peter in the eye and he said to him, “Oh man of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Why did Peter sink? We might say it was because he didn’t have faith. Afterall, Jesus said to him, “Oh man of little faith.” But what does this lack of faith really mean? What made Peter sink?

Peter sinks because he puts his faith, his trust, in himself.

Peter knows that it is impossible for him to walk on water. But as Jesus said, “For men this is impossible, but for God everything is possible.”

It was the sinful self-reliance that caused Peter to sink. But when he cries out for Christ he stops sinking because Jesus stretches out his hand.

And if Jesus asked you to come out onto the water, what would make you sink?