So in our text we see that Jesus finds Peter back in familiar territory: on the water. Once again, Jesus issues a call out to Peter to step out of everything he knew and take a risk in faith by asking Peter to come to him. Peter responds again to Jesus call to leave everything and in faith, gets out of the boat and walks toward Jesus. As Peter takes a few steps, he starts to allow doubt to deter his confidence, and he starts to sink. But just as he does, Jesus reaches out to Peter and rescues him.
Jesus does this; he comes to us when we are in our familiar ways and calls us out through an act of obedience that requires faith. I can relate to one act of obedience that was based on faith for my wife and I.
We received a phone call 7 years ago. It was one of those phone calls that you wouldn’t know how to prepare for. This was a conversation that issued a call into our lives that would change so much for us.
I remember hearing the man’s voice on the other end of the line. “Simply put, your cousins have been taken into child protective services, and we do not intend to pursue placing them back with their parents. They are going to be put into foster care, they have little to no chance of being adopted because of learning disabilities, race and a history of violence and they probably won’t be able to stay together. Would you consider adopting them?
Inside my head, I heard my immediate response was no! My wife was due to deliver our fourth child in two weeks, we had already also adopted three of our second cousins from a different family. With seven children already, we were out of space, out of energy and out of faith. I stopped mid-thought, “God, give me your direction and your answer.” My wife and I bathed it in prayer, and over and over God responded with a resounding and confident “YES!” So we began the process.
One week later we were in a small room an hour from home waiting for these two precious children to see us for the first time as prospective parents. The image is etched in my mind; white sterile walls, old linoleum flooring, a small table with half-chewed crayons and a scribbled coloring book, a pink teddy bear leaning against the chair and the unmistakable sounds of feet in the hall.
We could hear the voice telling the children “we have something really special for you, you’re really gonna love this!” and then the door flew open.
Frozen in mid step, we looked at our soon to be son and daughter as Levi exclaimed, “I knew you would come.”
This is one of the times in our lives that we have sensed that Jesus has come to us with a specific calling. This was a call that God placed on our lives, a call that required faith, risk-taking and an obedient heart.
Point II
Peter had to risk his life to obey Jesus. He put himself in harm’s way to submit to Jesus plan, and he did so against impossible odds.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Peter could not see with the physical how this would happen. Peter was a risk-taker, the waves were moving, and the impossible was being asked. In situations like our adoption, or Peter’s story, we may feel like the waves are insurmountable, but Jesus asked us to embark on something that only God can achieve. Peter was given an increase of faith to accompany him.
Its so amazing how Jesus responded when Peter began to slip into the waves. A simple question, “Why did you doubt.” and a quick hand of rescue. This is the tenderness of God. When we obey, he is gentle and encouraging and is mighty to save.
