Peter Walks on Water

He said, "Come."

Matthew 14:29

The Sea of Galilee is roughly 13 miles long and 8 miles wide, with a circumference of roughly 32 miles. It is also commonly stricken with waves and rough waters. In Matthew 14:24, you read: "Meanwhile, the boat was already some distance from land, battered by waves, because the wind was against them." This story holds so much importance, and Matthew would have known that when writing it down as he did. In Matthew 14:22-32, you read about this storm that the disciples faced, the steps that Peter took, and the reached-out hand from Him when called upon in fear by Peter. The water in this story is important because it represents the chaos of life that you and everyone else could be going through. The water "battered" against them. How often does depression or anxiety feel like being "battered" against?

Continuing through this section of Matthew, it is clear that Peter is still skeptical of Jesus. You might recognize this skepticism in yourself when things are going awry. And in the same way that Peter calls out to Him, you also can call out to Him. "Lord, if it's you," Peter answered Him, "command me to come to you on the water" (Matthew 14:28). I personally love Jesus's response: "Come" (Matthew 14:29). You have petitioned Him to lead you, to guide you, and to come to you in your times of need, but in this section of Matthew, you learn about Peter not asking Jesus to come closer, rather to command that he come to Him. How might your own experiences of depression and anxiety shift if you said, "Lord, command that I come to you in this moment," versus "Lord, come to me in this moment"? Remember, He has not left you and is ever-present in every moment; it is depression and anxiety that separate you from Him, not that He has moved away from you.

This story in the Bible is deep. It speaks of Peter's doubts (Matthew 14:31), as much as it speaks of his actions (Matthew 14:29). Peter climbed out of the boat and started to walk on water. In faith. In obedience. He took action, stepping out of the boat onto the water. And notice that when he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the "strength of the wind" (Matthew 14:30), he started to sink. And without thinking, Jesus reaches out and pulls him up out of the water. Sit on that for a second. Peter doubts Him, starts to sink, and He pulls him out of the water, out of the storm. In the CSB version of the Bible, it uses the word "immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him..." (Matthew 14:31). Do you see how close Jesus must have been in order to do that? And yet you have no idea how far Peter got walking on the water; you do not know how close Jesus was to the boat. But what you do know is that He was within reach of Peter's sinking. And He does not hesitate; He acts immediately.

Depression and anxiety symptoms might impair your focus. You might start focused on Him, answering the call, acting on His "come," and moving through the storm. And within a moment, when the storm of life gets big, you turn your focus from Him and onto the depths of the water, the strength of the wind, the chaos around you. And you start to sink. In those moments, be like Peter and call out "Lord, save me" (Matthew 14:30). And immediately, He will reach out, just as He does for Peter. Depression and anxiety want you to believe that He is far away, but you can know the truth, that He is very much near to you as you take action steps out of the boat, as you walk toward Him in faith, and He is near you when you sink in doubts. He does not sit and watch you figure it out. He immediately reaches out. All you have to do is step out of the boat and seek Him.

This story and the water connection are so visible. The water knocked Peter off his focus, but it did not stop Jesus from reaching out. And whatever chaos is going on in your life, while it might shift your focus, it will never shift His reach.

Scripture

Matthew 14:22-33

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 After dismissing the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Well into the night, he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile, the boat was already some distance from land, battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. 25 Jesus came toward them walking on the sea very early in the morning. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and they cried out in fear.

27 Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter answered him, “command me to come to you on the water.”

29 He said, “Come.”

And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those in the boat worshiped him and said, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Reflection

What action steps are you taking today to step out of the boat like Peter did?

What is acting like the "strength of the wind" and shifting your focus from Him?

How might your experience be different if you recognized how near He is to you in these moments?

Prayer

Lord, Heavenly Father. Thank you for being near to me and those who seek you. Your omnipresence is something that I know I can count on and lean into when things are difficult. Lord, I pray for those who are starting to sink because their focus is shifting from you to the problem. Father, I ask that you reach out to them immediately and pull them from the depths of their doubts. Father God, I pray for the action steps of others and myself, to step out of the boat in faith and walk towards You. Thank you for reaching for me when times are difficult. You, Lord, are the reason that there is hope in eternal living. While storms may arise in my life, I know that you will always be near, and I praise You for Your closeness. In Your Son's name. Amen