The Question Peter Didn't Ask
OPENING PRAYER:
Father, when You call me to step out of the boat, silence the voice of fear and amplify the voice of faith. Teach me to keep my eyes fixed on You, even when the storm rages around me.
"'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 14:28-29 (NIV)
This miracle occurs in the fourth watch of the night (between 3 and 6 a.m.), after the disciples had been rowing against the wind for hours. They were exhausted, frightened, and far from shore when they saw what they thought was a ghost walking on the water. Peter's request to walk on water wasn't reckless bravado—it was a test of faith in the midst of genuine fear.
REFLECT:
In the message this weekend, Pastor Jarred the scene from The Chosen where Peter asks Jesus to command him to walk on water. What's striking about Peter's request is what he doesn't ask. He doesn't say, "Explain to me how this works." He doesn't say, "Give me a step-by-step plan for water-walking." He doesn't say, "Let me think about this and get back to You." He simply says, "If it's You, command me to come." And when Jesus says, "Come," Peter steps out of the boat. The message highlighted that Peter kept his eyes on Jesus and actually walked on water, an impossible thing became possible because he focused on the Master rather than the mechanics.
But then something shifted. Peter looked at the wind. He looked at the waves. He started thinking about the worst-case scenario. He began to focus on the problem instead of the Person. And he sank. Here's what we often miss: Peter didn't sink because he lacked faith - he walked on water! He sank because he shifted his focus. The storm didn't get worse. The waves didn't suddenly grow. What changed was where Peter was looking. Jarred emphasized that this is where many of us find ourselves. We've had moments of incredible faith where we've done things we never thought possible. But then a storm comes, something chaotic, something we couldn't predict, and instead of keeping our eyes on Jesus, we start cataloging everything that could go wrong. We focus on the problem, and we sink. The good news? Jesus was close enough to reach down immediately and rescue Peter. He didn't lecture him. He didn't let him struggle to teach him a lesson. He was right there, hand extended, ready to pull him up.
I WILL STATEMENT:
I will trust Jesus with my next step, even when its foggy.
Identify the "wind and waves" you've been focusing on, the circumstances that have pulled your attention away from Jesus. Write them down. Then, physically or mentally, picture yourself turning away from that list and fixing your eyes on Jesus instead. Memorize this phrase and repeat it whenever you feel yourself sinking: "Eyes on Jesus, not on the storm." Set a reminder on your phone for three times throughout the week to pause and ask yourself, "Where is my focus right now?"
CLOSING PRAYER:
Jesus, forgive me for the times I've taken my eyes off You and focused on everything that could go wrong. Thank You for being close enough to catch me when I sink. Help me keep my gaze fixed on You, the Author and Perfecter of my faith, no matter how fierce the storm becomes.
PRAYER REQUEST:
Share your prayer request and pray for others.