When To Walk

(MATTHEW 14:26-9)

'.....AND PETER ANSWERED HIM, "LORD, IF IT IS YOU, COMMAND ME TO COME TO YOU ON THE WATER". HE SAID "COME". SO PETER GOT OUT OF THE BOAT AND WALKED OUT ON THE WATER AND CAME TO JESUS"


JESUS WALKS ON WATER.

Walking on water is an undeniably difficult feat. Continuous movement in multiple directions, with no resistance underfoot to carry our weight. It therefore comes as no surprise that, thus far,  only 2 have successfully conquered the waves and their unsteadiness. One being the son of God, the other, one of his 3 closest friends.

I wonder if Jesus walked.
Jesus....fully God, fully man, so confident in the Father that he endeavours to walk on the raging, stormy sea, despite every physics fact upholding that it is entirely impossible.
 He could have strutted knowing that no matter what, he would not fail with God on his side.
 He could have skipped knowing that his footing would not be lost.
He could have moonwalked knowing that he would not lose the direction he set out to go in.
 His trust was so secure in God, that the physics of the world itself could not restrict him.

As people, we have the tendency to doubt.

When I was younger, we used to go on road trips a lot, to visit my nan or go on holiday. On each of these road trips we would always drive back at night, exhaustion would grip my little body, and as I drifted off into an uncomfortable - seat belt digging in, no pillow - sleep, I would contemplate the critical world issues...if I got a pony, when I'd next see my friends, my existence and more often than not, my bizarrely deep-thinking self would wonder what I would do if my family was to ever just drop me off somewhere unknown.

Morbid and depressing indeed.

Whilst this would never happen and there was no reason for me to even be considering this, it is interesting how we question everything and everyone, doubting others and having restraint when it comes to trusting others.

With this in mind, how can we know that after stepping out of the boat, we will not sink and be helped in this unstable environment?

A question, myself and many others have mulled over before is...

When is it time to step out?


Taking this passage as a guide, we assess...

When did Peter step out?
When he knew Jesus was there

How did Peter know it was OK?
When Jesus said "come"  

In reality now, however, for Christ followers, Jesus isn't physically there when we step out, and he isn't necessarily always as clear to us as he was to Peter.

How can we know that when we feel as though we should step out, God will be there to guide us and provide the support we need?
 The interesting thing is, we cannot know for sure, what kept Peter above water was faith (Hebrews 11:1 ' faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen'). Peter knew it was impossible, yet he had faith that he could walk on the waves. In reality, Peter was most likely petrified, Jesus said one word, and Peter went. Yet it would seem the uncertainty only gripped Peter after he made the step, by which point Jesus was there to pull him up.

If, as followers of Christ, we believed he was resurrected, surely, we too can believe he walked on water.
And if we believe this, that therefore follows that we can believe he will be there to guide us and help us upon stepping out of the boat.

With the spirit within us, and the instruction to go (Mark 16:15), anytime we go, anytime we step out, we can be reassured that God is there, that if we stumble, as Peter did, we have a God who is moonwalking on the water, ready to provide encouragement and help as we make a bold step towards him.