Get out of the boat

Matthew 14:29, “And He said, “Come!” and Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.” A night filled with fighting the wind and the waves. Filled with doing everything he could to stay alive. Peter was a fisherman. He was skilled with handling boats, however, this night there was no calming the storm. The men were fearful that they were going to perish. When they saw Jesus coming toward them walking on the water, they were frightened saying it is a ghost. Jesus’s words “Take courage it is I do not be afraid”, caused Peter to say “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Why didn’t Peter just ask Jesus to calm the sea? I think the reason could have been if the sea was calmed, maybe Peter would think somehow his efforts and skills were successful. He only needed the sea to calm down to show that eventually the boat would have survived the storm. But Peter didn’t ask Jesus to calm the sea. He answered Jesus by saying, “If it is You command me to come to You on the water,” and Jesus said “Come!”. Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. This act had nothing to do with Peter’s skills as a fisherman. All his talents and skills couldn’t give him the ability to walk on water. This was something he knew was impossible for him to do on his own. Walking on water was not in Peter’s set of skills. Only Jesus could do this and with the word “Come!”, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water. So many of us try to get the storms of our lives to calm down. We rely on our own set of skills or our own efforts. Peter was shown that the impossible is possible when we get out of the boat. The act of faith of calling out to Jesus for our salvation, makes all things possible. The reassurance in verses 30 and 31, “But seeing the wind he became afraid and beginning to sink, he cried out “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt.” lets us know that when we put our faith in Jesus, He immediately saves us. We need to get out of the boat. We can’t save ourselves. Our efforts or good works will not be enough. If we put our faith in Jesus, we understand Matthew 19:26 “And looking upon them, Jesus said to them, ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”