UNSINKABLE

I love this picture of Jesus reaching through the troubled waters...

I'm sure we've all experienced moments in life that felt like we were drowning... times when we needed someone to rescue us. 

Matthew 14:22-36 gives us Peter's unique perspective on such a rescue... a view from underneath. As he looked through the swirling water into the face of Jesus, Peter knew he was in for a good scolding. And he was right. As Jesus reached for Peter through the water I'm pretty sure He said, “Gimme your hand, ya knucklehead... oh, ye of little faith!” 

I can't help but feel sorry for Peter, bless his heart. Only seconds before, he was WALKING ON THE FREAKIN' WATER WITH JESUS. LIKE A BOSS! But all it took was a gust of wind to bring him down. Peter got scared. Freaked out. And... SPLASH!! He sank into the water like a proverbial rock. 

Over the past two thousand years, we've given Peter quite a pounding for taking his eyes off Jesus. I really think it's time to give the ol' guy a break. In all fairness, the flaw in his faith did not make Peter a failure. It made him just like us. 

Put yourself in his sandals... it had been a loooooong night... dark and stormy... crowded into a fishing boat with a dozen other men... tossed to and fro on the waves as they rowed their arms off. Cold and exhausted, they were scared completely witless when they saw a shadowy figure casually strolling by on TOP OF THE WATER. 

Not believing what he was seeing, Peter cried out into the darkness: “Hey, Jesus! Is that you out there walking on the water like a dadgum ghost? Cause if it is, hollar at me and I'll come out to you!” You gotta give Peter some points, here. He could have screamed like a little girl for Jesus to jump into the boat and rescue him. He could have begged Jesus to wave His arms and calm the storm. But no. Peter wanted to get out of the boat and GO TO JESUS. 

Jesus answered him with one word.

“COME.” 

He had to be shaking in his sandals, but Peter swung his legs over the side of that boat and stepped out in faith. BIG faith... though not big enough. Fear sunk him. 

Even so, Peter's faith brought him closer to Jesus while the other apostles-in-training never even left the boat. They just sat huddled together like a bunch of scared, soggy lumps, weathering the storm on their own. Unlike Peter, they didn't try to reach out to Jesus but chose to cling to the relative “safety” of their boat. 

Storms happen, y'all. We're going through a doozy right now and it looks as though it might hang around for awhile. I know many of you are feeling anxious and overwhelmed, understandably so. I just want to remind you that you don't have to endure this storm all alone. I'm with you. We're all in it together. And most importantly... JESUS IS IN THE STORM WITH US, walking beside us, ready to carry us through. 

It may not be easy... your faith might get wobbly and your hair may end up wet and soggy, but SEEK HIM. TRUST HIM. 

Keep your eyes on Jesus, He will not let you sink.