Stepping Out of the Boat
Scripture
“Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he 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. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. ‘Save me, Lord!’ he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. ‘You have so little faith,’ Jesus said. ‘Why did you doubt me?'” — —— – Matthew 14:22–31 (NLT)
Peter tends to get a bad rap in this story. It is easy to focus on the moment he started to sink, but if we stop there we miss something important. He was the only one who got out of the boat. Out of twelve disciples, Peter was the only one who spoke up, the only one who looked at Jesus walking on the waves and dared to ask, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come.” And Jesus said, “Come.” Before the storm calmed, before the wind settled, Peter stepped into the impossible. And for a few remarkable steps, his feet did what feet should not be able to do. Apart from Jesus, he is the only person in history who has walked on water.
We tend to rush past that and focus on his doubt. But don’t miss what came first. Peter walked on water because he trusted Jesus at His word and took the step. That is what faith looks like. Not having everything figured out, but being willing to leave the safety of the boat when Jesus calls. John Ortberg put it simply: “If you want to walk on water, you’ve got to get out of the boat.”¹ Faith is not just belief. It is movement. It is risk. It is obedience before you can see how it all turns out.
And notice this: the storm did not stop when Peter stepped out. It was still raging. But Jesus was already out there in the middle of it, and that is what made it possible to walk forward. The invitation was not “come when it’s calm.” It was simply, “Come.” Following Jesus rarely means waiting for perfect conditions. It usually means stepping out into the very thing that frightens us, trusting that He is already there.
Yes, Peter began to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus. But even then, Jesus did not scold him from a distance or let him go under. He reached out immediately and pulled him up. That is the kind of Savior we follow. One who invites us into the extraordinary, catches us when we falter, and never stops walking with us through the storm. The question He is asking you today is the same one He asked Peter. Will you get out of the boat?
Reflection
1. What area of your life feels like a boat right now, safe and familiar, but maybe holding you back from something Jesus is calling you toward?
2. Where is Jesus asking you to trust Him and take a step of faith?
3. What might happen if you stopped waiting for the storm to settle and simply said, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come”?
Prayer
Pray for the courage to say yes when Jesus invites you to step out of your comfort zone. Ask Him to deepen your trust and give you the boldness to follow wherever He leads.
Footnote
¹ Ortberg, John. If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat. Zondervan, 2001.