Doing the Impossible

Musings from the Garden

By Peggy Wyar

Jesus and His disciples fed a crowd of 5000 men plus women and children.  Afterwards, Jesus directed His disciples to go ahead of Him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.  The story continues:

 Mathew 14:24-32
 “and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.  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.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.”

 Peter says to Jesus, “If it’s You tell me to come to You on the water.”  At the invitation of Jesus Peter steps out of the boat. He walks on water.  He did the impossible.  He came towards Jesus stepping on the top of the sea. 

 Once Peter was closer to Jesus, he faltered and became frightened. As the wind kicked up,  Maybe he looked down and saw his feet standing on water.  Maybe he had the thought that he really couldn’t be doing this.

 Whatever caused him to doubt, Peter’s response was to cry out to Jesus to be saved.  And Jesus took his hand, pulled him close and they both got into the boat together.

 Jesus asked Peter why he had doubted.  I do not think Jesus was condemning him for too little a faith. Later in Mathew (chapter 17, verse 20) we are told that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains.  I think Jesus was asking Peter to consider who he was trusting.

 If Peter had continued trusting in Jesus’ ability he might have continued his stroll on water.  When he looked to himself and the circumstances, he began to sink. I believe Peter learned a great lesson that day, one that would have stayed with him for his lifetime.  When he believed Jesus, he could do the impossible.

Imagine with me Peter facing a decision in later years.  He recalls the day that he walked on water and he smiles at the memory.  Perhaps he thinks to himself, “If Jesus supplied me with the power to walk on water back then, he can supply what I need today.”

 According to 1 Peter 1:3-5, Peter trusts God’s power to keep him through faith until the final day: the day of his salvation and his reunion with His Savior in heaven.  We can learn, as Peter did, through our perceived mistakes and our times of sinking.  We may do the impossible for a short time, but then we may flounder. That’s when we can cry out to Jesus and He will bring us close. We can learn that every God-empowered decision we make, and every obedient response to His invitation builds our trust and faith in Him.  Our God is fully trustworthy, and we have daily opportunities to choose to believe Him for what seems impossible. 

 Care to take a walk?