At daybreak, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. When they saw him walking on
the sea, they were terrified, thinking that it was a ghost. And they cried out in fear.
But at once, Jesus said to them, “Courage! Don’t be afraid. It’s me!“ Peter answered,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.“

Jesus said to him, “Come!“ And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water to go
to Jesus. But seeing the strong wind, he was afraid, and began to sink; and he cried out,
“Lord, save me!“ Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and took hold of him, saying,
“Man of little faith, why did you doubt?“ As they got into the boat, the wind dropped.
Then those in the boat bowed down before Jesus, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God!“

They came ashore at Gennesaret. The local people recognized Jesus and spread the news
throughout the region.

Reflect

Many years ago, I learned a useful saying: Being brave doesn’t mean never being afraid; it
means doing what you must despite your fear. Peter shows his bravery and his faith in Jesus
when he steps out of the boat onto the waves. Peter had been a fisherman for most of his life.
He knew exactly how deadly the sea could be, yet still he stepped over the side of the boat.
Even though his fear overcame him and he began to sink, he held on to his faith and trusted
that the Lord would save him.

How is Jesus calling you to step beyond the safety of the boat? Where is he calling you to go?
Living a life of virtue, service, and obedience to God’s will is not easy. God may ask us to do
things that frighten us. We may suffer because of our faith. We may need to sacrifice things
we enjoy. But Jesus will always be there beside us, reaching out his hand to catch us before
we sink, reminding us not to be afraid. He is always ready to save those who trust in him.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2023