Three Words and a Hand

Most people remember the story of Peter walking on water for the part where he sinks. It’s worth remembering where he was standing first. The disciples had been fighting heavy waves all night, and around three in the morning they saw Jesus coming toward them across the water. They couldn’t believe their eyes and thought is was a ghost. Peter was the one who asked to come out, and when Jesus said “Yes, come,” he literally climbed over the side of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus. Only when he looked at the wind instead of the One who called him did he start sinking. It was at that moment that Peter says, “Save me, Lord!” Matthew doesn’t say Jesus waited for Peter to calm down or finish apologizing, he says Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed his hand.

Maybe you’re halfway out of your own boat right now. You might be in a job you prayed for that suddenly feels too big, or a marriage you promised to fight for. Looking at the wind doesn’t make you a failure. It makes you like Peter, and Peter still got saved. You don’t need a polished prayer or a better track record to call out to Him, because the same hand that caught Peter is close enough to catch you.