Sink Or Swim Series

What about those storms though that come up quickly? These storms can be a result of your own doing or not. The fact is they come and you are unprepared and when you are getting tossed around it is terrible. You wonder how am I going to make it through this? I’ve got my faith my belief in Jesus?????

Remember the other men in the boat with Peter? They had all heard Jesus teach. They had all seen Jesus do incredible things. They too were also seeing Jesus walking on the water. They too had heard him say, “Don’t be afraid”. They don’t do anything though. They stay in the boat because it appears to be safer. This is what they know; this is what they are sure of. I’m better off in the boat doing what I do than getting out of the boat to where Jesus is.

We want Jesus to come get in our boat. Jesus, come to me. Peter says, “No, I’m not waiting, I’m going to Jesus”.

And for a moment it happens. Peter walks on the water. His focus is on Jesus. Notice the storm does not quit. It is still going on but Peter is okay because his focus is on Jesus. We know what happens thought, right. Peter notices that the storm is still raging and his focus on Jesus is distracted and he begins to sink.

I cannot even begin to tell you all the storms I have had in my life. Some of them were caused by me and others not so much. Some of them had big winds and waves and I felt utterly helpless being tossed about. I don’t think I’m a whole lot different than many of you. When the wind and waves began I looked to my own strength to pull me through. God has equipped me to handle things and I would get through this okay.

That is what the disciples were doing. They were accomplished on the seas and they were working to get through to their destination. It’s almost like they were so focused on solving or fighting the problem that they forgot about Jesus.

Jesus however didn’t forget about him and he doesn’t forget about me. At some point in the storm Jesus makes himself known and at that point I am faced with the decision to if I keep fighting on my own or if I get out of the boat and go to Jesus.

The problem with getting out of the boat is that it often comes with the unknown. While there might be that moment of peace the storm may continue to rage and we get distracted and we begin to sink like Peter did.

It was probably good that Peter sank because if he would have made it all the way to Jesus and back to the boat his buddies might have said, “Wow Peter, you did it.” Peter didn’t do it, Jesus did it.

Peter sank but the Lord didn’t let him die. Peter cried out to the Lord and Jesus reached out his hand and rescued him again.

I don’t know about you but that seems to be the story of my life. I focus on Jesus, I’m distracted and sink, I cry out to him and he rescues me again and again! Peter was walking on water, why did he lose his faith. God has rescued me time and time again, why do I ever take credit for it. I am a sinful man, we are all sinful people and we are in need of constant rescuing by our Lord and Savior.