Water Walking .....

Water walking.....stepping out in faith and doing something that is impossible. According to Matthew 14: 22-31 Peter also had a brief experience where he was able to walk on water . Matthew's account is the only one that even mentions Peter's attempt. I was surprised that even in John's account he does not mention Peter's actions.

In a recent conversation I was asked to write a story about what happened to Peter after the experience. So here's Peter's account according to my imagination.

We begin the story at verse 30: Jumping out of the boat. Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink....

"Master, Save ME!" I screamed out to HIM knowing full well that sound of the waves and the winds have taken my words out to sea. "Why did I jump out of the boat?" I ask myself. "How stupid was that? I can't walk on the water! What was I thinking? Was I thinking at all? I'm going to drown right here, right now, in front of all my friends. Maybe if I start kicking my feet I can swim a few feet back toward the boat before the sea claims me. LORD, HELP ME" was the last thought in my head as I crashed below the waves.

Just as these thoughts were racing through my head Jesus instantly reached down and grabbed my hand. I felt my body being elevated over the raging sea. His eyes were kind and even mildly amused.

"Why did you doubt?" he asks me with kindness and compassion. "When have I ever failed you? " I know you so well," he says, "I knew it would be you that would jump out of the boat without a second thought. Weren't you with me this afternoon when I fed thousands of people from just one little boy's lunch? Is anything impossible for me? Why did you panic? "

There were no words that I could speak. My spirit was crushed by HIS disappointment. I had failed. I started out so well. I'm not a coward. As a fisherman I had weathered bad storms before, I was the one who usually called out words of encouragement to my friends .

"Hold fast men!" I would bellow. "Stay the course, we can get through this storm!"

"Stay the course" I thought....how hollow those words sounded to me now. " I was distracted ,"I thought to myself. " It really wasn't my fault....but I knew it was."

We were at the boat and we both climbed in. The wind suddenly stopped. The sea was calm. I sat in the boat waiting for the others to start laughing at me for being so foolish. No one laughed, no one spoke, their faces were white and they stared in awe at HIM.

"Truly you are the Son of God," they said as they began to worship HIM. "Only God could do the things you do! THIS IS IT! YOU ARE THE PROMISED ONE!

We sailed on to the other side of the sea. No one ever asked me what Jesus had said to me out on the water. No one even mentioned or seemed to notice that I had ever left the boat. Had each man heard HIM speak individually to their hearts? Did each of the disciples have a personal encounter with the Son of God?

I don't know the answer to that question, I don't even know if it was important for me to jump out of the boat, but I do know what it felt like like to walk on water ( if only for a brief time) and I know that I will never be the same again.