Walking on the Water

God has never called me to exercise such faith as He has just now. I have never felt so out of control as I do right now. Life has never been more uncertain than it is right now. I'm walking on the water, one step at a time, one foot in front of the other.

I am Peter. The storm rages around me, our tiny boat is taking on water, and I admit it; I am terrified. The lightning flashes and we catch glimpses of a distant vessel and its single occupant. Maybe help is coming? A peal of thunder roars across the water and the sky lights up like the noonday sun. In that moment we see the vessel is closing fast, and the commander, he's...he's standing up tall, still and straight, on the bow of the boat, unafraid. He seems to hover just above the vessel like no human could do. Is this a ghost? The vessel's approach is swift and now he is so close we can hear his voice over the din of the storm. It sounds like Jesus? No. It can't be him. We left him on the shore to rest several hours ago after he finished preaching.

But the voice -- it sounds like his. If it's really him, he can walk above the water. He can do things. He knows things. If it's really him.

Our boat is filling with water and we're bailing as fast as we can, but it's not enough. Terror grips my heart. I look up at him, and the words are out of my mouth before I can stop them, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water."

"Come." Just one word. Come. But it is enough. It is Jesus.

What is there to lose? We are taking on water and we're far from shore; we'll all most certainly drown without him. Yes, Jesus, I'll come.

My hands grasp tight to the sides of the boat, but only for a second. All doubt disappears and with one leap of faith I'm on the water, eyes trained on Jesus. Our eyes lock and all else falls away; His alone is the power. His alone is the glory. In Him alone is my faith. The water is solid, the storm fades, and I'm taking another step toward my Savior.

Lightning cuts through the sky and arches out behind me. His eyes hold mine, willing me not to look away. A clap of thunder nearly drowns the screams of my companions and I hear the unmistakable cracking sound of our mast as it splinters and catches fire. His eyes hold me, implore me, steady me. But I must know.

And so I look away. I look behind me at the triumph of the storm's fury. The fire, the lightning, the thunder...and the water.

"Help me, Lord! I'm going under." I should be afraid, but I am calm. Cold black water swallows me, pulls me down. Seaweed tangles around me and I close my eyes and wait. It's quiet.

A beat, maybe two, and suddenly my senses are alive and my body tingles with power as a hand reaches deep to touch my own. His hand. It raises me up, up, up, and I feel hope coursing through my heart. I emerge from the water to find myself face to face with Jesus. He's in our boat, both hands now raised to the sky, locked in a fierce battle with the storm. Finally, He lowers His hands and his head. The wind dies away with the motion and the sky sucks the rain back into itself. The lightning is extinguished like a campfire, and the stars appear.

He looks at me again and all I ever needed is in his eyes. There is no condemnation. He is God. My God. My Savior. The One who commands the universe. The One who knows my next step. The One who pulls me up when my feet fail.

My storm isn't lightning and waves, but I am Peter. All is stripped away until all that is left is to look at God. All I can do is trust. So I plunge out of the boat, onto the water.

Catch me, God. Hold me up above the waves. Extinguish the storm. Calm my fears. Hold my hand. Dry my feet. Comfort my soul.

Here I am.

Where Feet May Fail...Below is the link to one of my favorite songs about being called out onto the water. Listen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBJJJkiRukY

Matthew 14

Jesus Walks on the Water

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

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

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”