Beginning to Sink

Matthew‬ ‭14‬:‭30‬

“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” ‭‭

Lately, I’ve been dwelling on Matthew 14 and the life of Peter. Peter stepped out of the boat by faith and began walking toward Jesus. But when he noticed the wind and the waves, fear crept in, and he began to sink. What a simple but powerful prayer: “Lord, save me.”

The Bible says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10) When we recognize our need for Jesus and rely on Him as our Savior, that is when we begin to experience the miraculous in our lives.

However, what has always puzzled me is why Jesus responded by saying, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” If Jesus wants us to rely on Him, why rebuke Peter’s doubt?

My thought is that maybe Jesus rebuked Peter because Peter had already done the impossible. He had already stepped into something supernatural. He had already taken the risk of faith and experienced what no one else in the boat did. The other disciples stayed dry in the boat, but Peter was the one who actually decided to try to walk on water. Even though he began to sink, Jesus was right there to catch him.

That encourages me. I may step out in faith by trying something new and outside of my comfort zone and still struggle with doubt, but when I cry out to Jesus, He is there. Jesus won’t let me sink.

So today, if you feel like the wind and waves of life around you are getting stronger, don’t forget who you stepped out of the boat to follow. Faith doesn’t mean you will never feel fear or doubt. It means that when you begin to sink, you know exactly who to call on. And just like He did for Peter, Jesus will reach out His hand and pull you up.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for staying by my side through the best and worst moments of life. You see me at my best and my worst, yet you love me the same. Your love is consistent. Grace is not earned, it is freely given through your Son, who died on the cross. No matter what happens, you will never let me sink. In Jesus’ name, amen.