RESCUED AND REBUKED

Walking on water is no easy task. As a child, inspired by the Bible stories I was taught at Sabbath School, I would occasionally try it at the local swimming pool—always without success. I am sure that many of us who grew up with the stories at least attempted it with some sense of curiosity. In the Bible’s telling of this story, Peter began to sink after he noticed the wind and became afraid. But I wonder if the walking on water itself might have been frightening enough. In all his years as a fisherman on the lake, he had never seen anyone walking on the water. He suggested to Jesus that he join Him amid the waves, probably without thinking much about it. But when it was actually happening, it seems that it would be unnerving in itself.

I have experienced taking on a task or finding myself in circumstances that seem completely beyond my expertise or out of my control.

Even when it feels like it might be working, that can become a cause for fear in itself. Fear can take hold of us when things seem to be working out almost too well, and we find ourselves suddenly outside our comfort zone. In the moment of Peter’s fear, Jesus was there for Him—to catch him, rescuing him from the waves and pulling him up so he could step back into the boat. At that moment, the wind died away, and the lake became calm.

It was only after rescuing Peter that Jesus chided him for his doubts.

The rescue came first. Peter did not have to resolve his doubts or get over his fear before Jesus would reach out and catch him. But we can also expect that many of his doubts and fears would have evaporated in that moment of rescue.

It seems that Peter would have readily joined the other disciples in worshiping Jesus in the boat (see Matthew 14:33). Being rebuked for a lack of faith stings much less when we have already been rescued.