Have you ever done something without really stopping to think about what you were doing? Sure, most of us have a one time or another. Sometimes a person will do something that is really dangerous like pull someone from a burning car or building. Later, when they stop and think about what they did they can hardly believe what they did.
Peter was a person like this, one who would do or say something without stopping to think things through beforehand. Take the time recorded in Matthew 14:22-33, when the apostles were out in a little ship on the Sea of Galilee and thought they saw a ghost walking on the water. They cried out in fear which was a normal reaction, but when Peter thought he heard the Lord's voice speaking to them instead of a ghost, he reacted without really stopping to think about what he was doing. Peter asked Jesus if he could walk out to Him on the water and Jesus said simply to Peter, "Come." Without thinking Peter stepped out of the boat and started walking toward Jesus. Then all of a sudden it dawned on Peter what he was doing and he became afraid and began to sink into the sea. Luckily for Peter, Jesus was right there to catch him and Jesus said to Peter, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"
Peter was alright as long as he kept his focus on Jesus Christ, even while he was walking on water. As soon as his focus shifted to what was going on around him, he was in trouble. Our walk in the Christian life is a lot like Peter's experience that night on the Sea of Galilee. As long as we keep our focus on Jesus then we can walk, even as Peter did on the water, but when we allow the things of this world to become our focal point, then we begin to sink into a sea of sin. Luckily for Christians, Jesus is there ready to help us out if we return our focus to Him.
One thing that always impresses me about this passage is the fact that
only Peter stepped out. of the boat that night and walked with Jesus on
the water, even if his faith was such that he could only walk a little
way. While the others in the ship did not step out with Peter and walk
on the water, they did worship Jesus and realized at least for a short
time that He was the Son of God. Jesus gave many miraculous proofs that
He was, and is, the Son of God. From healing sickness to raising the dead,
from feeding 5,000 to knowing the intent of people's minds and even walking
on water all pointed to the fact that this was no ordinary man. Will you
look at the proof and come to the understanding that Jesus was, and is,
the Son of God? Are you willing to walk by faith and not by sight in order
that you might walk the streets of heaven? Are you willing to get out of
the ship?