Walking on Water

Many times as believers we desire those mountain top experiences. We long to "walk on the water" like Peter did. We want the miraculous. We want the "Wow! Look what Jesus did in my life" times. Have you ever thought, "Gee, I'd love to "walk on water with Jesus"?

In Matthew 14: 22-33 we find the account of that famous " walk on water" passage. If you will read this text  you will see that the context here is not a beautiful sunny day out on the lake. It is not the disciples and Jesus taking a Sunday afternoon ride out. Let's go for a relaxing boat ride, enjoying the scenery and fresh air. No, the timeframe is somewhere between 3-6 AM. You know, the time when we should be in a warm comfy bed!  It is dark. It is stormy. A stormy dark night paints the scene.  

Verse 26 tells us , " And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were  frightened, saying " It is a ghost!" and they cried out for fear." This scary, eerie, heart-pounding moment in time is  the context in which Peter calls out to Jesus and says, " Lord, if it is You command me to come to You on the water". 

As I am reminded of this miracle that has come to mean a" triumphant miracle moment in the Christian faith" I am also reminded of when it occurs. God doesn't allow us to " walk on water" with Him on the laid back easy sunny days. The water walking times come during the storms of life. They come when in the midst of our storm, we see Jesus out there on the turbulent waves, coming toward us despite the strong winds. The water walking times happen when we like Peter, call out to Jesus and ask Him to bid us to come.  

Let us note one other important facet of this account. Only Peter asked Jesus to " bid him to come out". Peter walked on the stormy sea because He believed and obeyed, therefore  he asked Jesus. In the storm we will walk on water if we will listen and obey these words, " Take courage, It is I; do not be afraid." ( Mt 14:27)

The others stayed in the boat because they did not request this of the Lord. Perhaps they were not convinced. Perhaps they were content with " just enough Jesus to get me to the other side". Whatever may have been in their mind we do not know. What the Bible does tell us is that only Peter asks! 

If you are in a storm but you don't seek Jesus to tell you to get out of the boat, you will still get to the other side. However, if you want to walk on the water with Him, obey His Word, and ask.