Clothesline 311 “Keep Your Eyes on Jesus”

Peter’s relationship with Jesus throughout Scripture gives us much to think about. One in particular—Jesus and Peter walking on the water—it’s much like our relationship with Jesus. Let’s look at it together.

Jesus has completed yet another day of teaching and preaching, and he says to his disciples, “Take the boat and go on ahead to the other side of the sea. I’ll meet you later.” Did any of them think to ask Jesus how he was going to meet them if they had the boat! Nope! So fat, dumb and happy, they sail off, with no idea of what is about to come.

Next, Scripture says: “Early in the morning he [Jesus] came walking toward them on the sea.” The twelve disciples, frightened by the wind and the waves, see what appears to be a ghost walking on the water. Jesus senses their fears and says, “Don’t be afraid. It is I!” You would think that would be enough to calm the disciples. Well, maybe for some of them, but Peter wants more…more details that this “ghost” is really Jesus.

Peter says: “Okay Lord, if it is you, ask me to come to you, walking on the water.” Now isn’t that a typical “Peter” request? It’s not very original; in fact, you might think it’s not very bright, because if the vision isn’t Jesus, Peter’s going to drown! So, there are a lot of factors playing in this portion of the story: Peter’s child-like request with absolutely no thought behind it, a challenge for the words of Jesus, an incredible test of Peter’s faith, and an all-around absolutely insane situation for anyone to be willing to participate in. But it could only work with someone like Peter: faith-filled yet sometimes doubtful, excited about Jesus, yet sometimes disenchanted, willing to go the extra mile for his faith yet sometimes being unavailable. Gee, did I say that was simply like Peter? That sounds a lot like us, don’t you think?

And you know the rest of the story. Peter gets out of the boat, and when he takes his eyes off Jesus and notices the wind and the waves that are bigger than he is, he begins to sink. When we think that the cares of the world are too big for us to handle or even too unimportant for the intervention of our Lord and Savior, we sink too. We sink into sin, doubt, selfishness, and many other things. So how does Jesus react to Peter? Jesus reaches out His hand and keeps him from sinking. It works that way for us too, but only after we respond like Peter; “Lord, save me!” Did you catch that? Peter becomes frightened. He starts to sink. Jesus allows him to begin to sink, because Peter must make a choice. And his choice? “Lord, save me!” And Jesus does just that! But he then says, to Peter, “Why did you doubt, oh you of little faith?” I don’t know about you, but I can confess to every one of Peter’s human reactions at one time or another…

And that’s the lesson: there is nothing that our God won’t do to help us stay afloat in this world of sin and sadness. The take-away? Keep your eyes on Jesus. Trust his care for you. Practice the faith of a child, and know that his hand is always there if you forget how to swim!