Water Walking

“When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.  But Jesus immediately said to them:

“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.”

Matthew 14:26-29

 

Risk

Risk is defined as: the chance of injury, damage or loss; dangerous chance; hazard.

Are you a risk–taker for the sake of the Kingdom of God?

Are you prepared to suffer injury, damage or loss?

Maybe not even physical injury, how about an injured ego, a damaged reputation or the loss of a friend?

Are you willing to take a risk like Peter did in stepping out of the boat?

He could have drowned.

He could have been humiliated.

He did walk on water.

Maybe you’re thinking: “Well, you know the old saying – ‘it is better to have tried and failed than to never have tried at all.’”

But did Peter fail?

He took a risk and he walked on water.

He lasted longer walking on the water than anyone else still safely ensconced on the boat!

The obvious point is that the others didn’t even risk it.

Risk takers were the minority that stormy night.

They continue, sadly, to be a minority in the church today.

We love the safety of routineness.

We are not comfortable with the step of faith, aka risk.

Maybe you take issue with the word risk and religiously declare: ‘It is never a risk to trust Jesus!’  

To which I would ask: When was the last time you walked on water?

It is never easy on the flesh to expose ourselves to injury, damage or loss.

But if we are going to trust God and be used by Him for great things it will be necessary.

Peter began to sink, but he did not drown.

I doubt very much that Peter was ridiculed by the other disciples for getting out of the boat.

Maybe one or two of them thought to themselves:

“If I had gotten out of the boat, I would’ve gotten farther than Peter did.”

Bold thoughts perhaps, but they still knew that they had not risked what Peter did.

Is God calling you out of the boat?

Then the question is: Will you be a risk taker for the Kingdom of God?

Water walking anyone?