Matthew 14:25-15:9
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.”
34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
15:1Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ r and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ s 5 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ 6 they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
8 “ ‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’ u” [1]
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What would it have been like to have been invited by Jesus to walk on the water? Would I have gotten out of the boat? This account is often pointed to as an encouragement to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus because, as we know, when Peter’s attention went from Jesus to the wind and waves, he began to sink. So Peter is held up as someone who looked away and doubted.
But before Peter turned away, he got out of the boat. Think of the faith that took. Would I have done that? Are there areas in my life where Jesus is calling me to radical dependence on him? To trust that by His power, I can walk on the water to Him? Peter started doubting once he was on the waves, but is my doubt keeping me from ever getting out of the boat?
Jesus, you call me to radical dependence on You, to trust in You in all circumstances, especially when you call me to follow You obedience and service. Grant me faith to get out of the boat and come to you, where You are already waiting for me.
What is the Word leading you to pray about today?
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[1] The New International Version. (2011). (Mt 14:25–15:9). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
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