Read Matthew 14:25-29.
Today’s devotional covers (part of) the well-known story of Peter walking on the water. Peter got himself into a lot of trouble in a lot of passages because he was often impetuous (and seemed to talk a lot, too). This is one of those passages… but I don’t want to discredit his huge leap of faith, either!
By this point in time, Peter had seen Jesus perform many miracles, including the healing of his own mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-17)! Jesus had even calmed the stormy seas… after the scared disciples had woken him up from a nap (Matthew 8:23-27). In fact, right before they got in the boat, Jesus had just fed 5,000 people with just a few loaves and fish (Matthew 14:13-21). Perhaps the disciples were talking about this very miracle when the wind started to pick up and things got rough on the seas.
Suddenly, a GHOST appeared out of the storm, and the disciples freaked out!! (I think that would be a scary sight too…. when’s the last time YOU saw someone walking across the ocean in the middle of a storm?!) Their fear is not unjustifiable, but then Jesus spoke to them, saying…
“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Ahhhh. Jesus, the miracle worker! The healer, the feeder of 5,000 hungry people. The calmer of storms, the bringer of peace. Peter, pumped now that Jesus was with them, was no longer afraid. In fact, Jesus’ presence made Peter bold.
Can you say the same in your own circumstances? Are you made bold by the mere presence of Jesus? You should be! He is with us… the I AM is ever present, we have no reason to fear!
Peter then makes a very bold statement, one which the other apostles didn’t seem willing to make. He said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water!” And Jesus simply said, “Come!”
Let’s not forget that it was not a pleasant day out on the sea. It was the middle of a stormy, windy night…. yet Peter forgot about that (for the moment at least), got out of the boat, and walked on the water!!!
What was that first step like, I wonder? Squishy, like walking on a water bed? Or hard, like walking through a puddle on concrete? Because of Peter’s boldness, he is the ONLY person other than Jesus who is able to answer that question!
We’re usually so quick to look at the next verse and see Peter’s faults…. but for today I want to look at the fact that Jesus’ presence got Peter to walk on water.
What can Jesus’ presence do in your life? Can He turn you from being fearful & cowardly into being a bold & courageous warrior for Him? Can His presence cause you to step out of the “shy” boat and walk into uncharted territory of evangelism and missions? The presence of Jesus IS that powerful… but you need to take that step of boldness.
I dare you to face your fears… ask Jesus to call you out of that fear and into a life of boldness. I already know His answer if you ask! He’ll simply say, “Come!”
God bless you!
Jason & Heather Marshall
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Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear By Max Lucado Just think what you could do with your life if you completely emptied your heart of fear---and filled it with faith instead! Whether you're uneasy about layoffs at work, slowdowns in the economy, or flare-ups in the Middle East, anxiety can make life feel like a prison. Learn how to break free---with God's help! 224 pages, hardcover from Nelson. |
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Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear By Max Lucado Just think what you could do with your life if you completely emptied your heart of fear---and filled it with faith instead! |
[...] reflective verse comes from the passage we saw in Devotional #10. Matthew 14:27 [...]
[...] for the full story of what we’ll be talking about today. Also, be sure to have read Devotional #10, because it covers the beginning of the [...]