“And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water toward Jesus.” Matthew 14:29
The story of Peter and Jesus walking on water is easily one of the most popular and often quoted passages of scripture. Pastors and preachers typically focus on how Peter takes his eyes off Jesus and starts to sink but I want to focus on the fact that with just one word from Jesus, Peter obeyed.
A little background for you – prior to this passage of scripture, Jesus went off by himself to pray. Because the disciples were too far out for him to get to them when he finished, he simply walked to where they were – which happened to be on water. Scripture says that it was nearly 3 in the morning when the disciples saw Jesus coming towards them so you can understand their fear but when He announces who He is, good old Peter says “tell me to come if it’s you.” The Lord does and Peter walks on water.
I believe we’ve all had moments like Peter. We petition God to show up in our situation, to make it crystal clear if He’s speaking to us and most often, He does. Whether or not we choose to act based on what He shows us varies from person to person. Maybe in your life, God is calling you to change jobs, to move to a different city, to start dating, to stop dating or maybe it’s something small like helping out after school or talking to that individual no one talks to, giving a few dollars to that person you see every day on the street. Will you trust the direction He’s giving?
One of the young ladies I go to church with once said, “No one has ever honored God through obedience and lost.” We see this with Peter. How crazy would it have been if God called him out on the water and let him drown? I imagine the disciples being even more afraid of him then. But He didn’t. Even when Peter began to sink, He immediately reached out His hand. Nevertheless, the belief that God is “calling us out on water” but won’t be there when we start to sink is what keeps many of us in the boat on a regular basis.
By now, many of you know I felt God calling myself and my husband to having children earlier than we expected. In the same way Peter did, I prayed that if this was the message He wanted me to get, He would be crystal clear and sure enough I started meeting couples with babies and expecting parents. People started asking us, more than usual, when we’d start having kids and my best friend called me up one morning and asked as if a child was already here, “How are you and the baby doing?”
Upon this crystal clear revelation that for whatever reason, our season to be parents was about to begin, I had two options. I could decide that, though what God was calling us to do was scary, I would “Come.” (Matthew 14:29) or I would stay in the boat where I felt safer. I chose the former and I truly feel I’ve been walking on water ever since.
Since October, I feel like I hear God’s voice clearer than ever. I’ve gone from working a full-time job to two part-time jobs and our family has actually experienced an increase financially. I see now that this was a baby steps towards pursuing nontraditional financial security because just last week God gave me peace about putting in my two weeks notice at the job I’ve had for over 2 years. On Tuesday, February 28, I took another leap of faith by enrolling in B-School, a program I’ve seen so many graduate and excel with by taking a passion and learning how to make a profit. My plan is to use the knowledge I gain from the program for the betterment of Black Girls with Purpose. But I would not have had the boldness to do any of this if I didn’t get out of the boat for fear of sinking.
Sometimes I wonder how life would be if I had not taken that first step. Would I be filled with as much joy? Would Geordan and I be able to get pregnant later in life? If we did, would that child be the beautiful boy I’m now carrying inside me? My heart tells me that I wouldn’t be.
As we continue to walk on this faith journey we should be encouraged to live boldly by observing the scriptures on on how God rewards faith and obedience to our callings.
So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. Deuteronomy 31:6
Joshua 1:3a – I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads.
[You] will never be hungry or thirsty. Sun and desert will not hurt [you] for [you will be led by one who loves [you]. He will lead [you] to springs of water. Isaiah 49:10
Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6
Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
I don’t know about you, but promises like that make uncertainty worth the risk. Trying to do life on our own does not guarantee that same kind of security and sometimes not seeking wise counsel leads us to live life aimlessly. With God, walking on water actually becomes safer than staying in a boat could ever be. And we know from what we read in Deuteronomy 31:6 that wherever God’s calling us to go, He’s already been.
What is God calling you today? No matter how scary it is, please understand that God rewards obedience. Getting out of the boat is just the beginning.
Know someone else who needs to be encouraged to live faithfully? Send this post to them using our handy share buttons.
If you enjoyed this blog post and want to get future posts sent straight to your inbox join our mailing list!