Day Twenty-One: Crazy Like Peter (Matthew 14)

"After sending them home, [Jesus] went up into the hills by Himself to pray. Night fell while He was there alone.

Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 

About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw Him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, 'It's a ghost!'

But Jesus spoke to them at once. 'Don't be afraid,' he said. 'Take courage. I am here!'

Then Peter called to him, 'Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.'

'Yes, come,' Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus."

Matthew 14:23-29 NLT (emphasis, mine)
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I have a new ambition in life:
To be crazy like Peter.
#goals

I mean, this story is nuts, right? And every time I read about this *actual occurrence* (because I have to remind myself it. was. REAL.) it just gets crazier to me.

It's hard to imagine myself on anything other than a cruise ship, let alone a stone-age yacht built without the fancy tools and technology we have at our disposal today.

But when I read this story, I always try to imagine myself, on that boat, with the disciples...

So, it's 3:00am. We're out in the middle of nowhere, and things aren't looking good. At this point I'm curled up in a fetal position in the corner of the boat, drenched with smelly lake water, and just wishing the nightmare would be over. 

Then here comes Jesus. 
Wait, what?

Walking on the water.
Nah. Surely I'm hallucinating.


He shouts, "Don't be afraid- You can be brave now, because I'm here!"
Oh, thank God. Jesus is here. Surely He will fix this mess and keep me safe.

But just as we cast the ladder over, Peter speaks up, "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to get out of this boat and walk on the water with you."

What? What kind of request is that even? 

Not a, "Lord, if you could stop these wind and waves that would really help my fear levels right about now."

or

"Come on into the boat, Jesus- let's calm this storm and then I wanna try that whole walking on water trick."

No. Peter, in the midst of the storm, needs to know that it's Jesus. So he puts Him to the test...

"Sure, come on out, the water's fine!" Jesus responds.


Now at this point Peter has to be second-guessing himself. He stares out into the darkness...

If I'm wrong, and this guy isn't real like He says He is;
if this guy isn't trustworthy like He says He is;
if the guy isn't able like He says He is...
I'm going down, down, down.

But he does it anyway. Swings one leg over, then another, and against all odds, Peter-- crazy Peter-- steps out onto the water.

And he walks.

Forget the rest of the story. People like to berate Peter for his lack of faith.
"Oh, Peter, if only you had kept your eyes on Jesus," they tease.

Ahem. When was the last time you walked on real, actual water with the Son of God?

I digress.

In the midst of the storms of life, I often cower in the corners of my "boat", praying God would deliver me. But Jesus doesn't want to just fix my mess and keep me safe-- He wants for me to experience Him in the midst of the mess.

God wants me to get a little crazy, like Peter. 

Because it's only when I step out of the boat in hot pursuit of Jesus, because I have to know, "Jesus if it's really you,"...

Then I find out--
Jesus is real like He says He is;
Jesus is trustworthy like He says He is;
Jesus is able like He says He is.
And He's never going to let me down.

I'd rather be accused of being a little crazy, and experience the thrill of walking on "water" with Jesus, than play it safe and never experience the fullness of Who He is.

Dwelling in Him,