In the book of Matthew we read of the story of
Peter and Christ walking on water. This has always been my favorite bible
story. And, like many of you, I too have tried to walk on water.
At the time I was between the ages of 5-7, my
family was on some trip to some body of water. I was young, details escape me.
But this is what I do remember. I was determined that I was going to walk on
the water. There was a dock and the drop to the top of the water was not that
far. I ran to the end of the dock, clutching my life-jacket and stepped off.
There I was, bobbing up and down in the water, utterly distraught that I wasn’t
standing on the surface. Still determined, I must have tried for another 5-10
minutes, unbeknown to my family that that was what I was trying to accomplish.
It never happened.
While in Galilee, this story has been sort of a
theme for me. The second night in Galilee I was talking with one of my friends
about my goal I had set for myself. I didn’t say much, just that it was
something most people wouldn’t even think to do because of the magnitude of it.
We got on the topic of walking on water and I laughed saying I should have made
that my goal. In turn, he started laughing admitting he was afraid that’s what
I was going to say my goal was and that he’d have to simply wish me good luck.
But, it got me thinking, why couldn’t I walk on water? I have been blessed with
a lot of faith, so why did it not seem plausible for me to seek to achieve such
a thing.
On Tuesday the topic for my New Testament class
was faith. More specifically, the story of Peter and Christ. In class we talked
about the three things one must know to exercise faith. 1. There is a God,
which is learned through prayer and scripture study. 2. The characteristics of
God, also learned through prayer and scripture study. 3. Your will is in line
with God’s will, which is learned through personal prayer and revelation.
Surely, if it was God’s will I would in fact be able to tread across the
surface of the sea. But, I know it is not His will for me to do this.
Nevertheless, I do know that I can, that I have the potential to carry out this
action, if He only bid me to do so.
Anyway, this post is not about me not walking on
water, but how learned to do this. Wednesday night, one of my roommates and two
of the guys here sat on the shore of Galilee discussing this particular story
of Peter and Christ and our thoughts, insights, and feelings. I shared that I
like to focus on how Peter got back to the boat. 1. He swam back. 2. He got
back up and walked. 3. Christ carried him. Personally, I feel the latter two
are more likely. Either way, Peter had to find his way back to Christ, and
through it all, Christ was there, extending his hand. He was there for Peter
whole time.
Now, here is the point to this long winded story.
Sometimes, we need to take that leap of faith. To step out of the boat and walk
on water. To do those things in our life that we feel God desires us to do. In
life we will have many struggles that seem impossible, like walking on water,
but if we take that leap of faith we can do it. And sometimes, we are left to
fall before we are raised up again, but we are raised up if we only call out. For some it may be marriage, dating, family,
school, work, and many other things that qualify as their walking on water. For
me, while being in Israel and especially in Galilee I have learned more clearly
what God has asked me to walk on water for. And I know I will.
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On the fifth of April I had the opportunity to go
to Capernaum. What struck me most when arriving was the words of my teacher,
“there are few places where we know for a fact that Christ was, this is one of
them.” It’s true. Most places we go are more of a memorial to the acts of
Christ or it’s where tradition says it happened. But, this was Capernaum. It
was where Christ walked; where he taught. It was his home away from home, just
like Jerusalem has become mine.
