Go-for-Broke Faith

Peter is often used as an example of what not to do and what not to say. But Peter also provided us with an exemplary and amazing display of faith.

We find the story in Matthew 14, when the disciples were out on the Sea of Galilee and a storm came up. They panicked and thought they were about to drown, but then Jesus showed up, walking toward them on the water. The disciples thought He was a ghost, but Jesus said, "Don’t be afraid. Take courage. I am here!" (verse 27).

Then Peter said, "Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water" (verse 28). So Jesus said come, and Peter went. He walked on the water.

Talk about getting your feet wet—Peter was willing to get his whole body wet to walk on the water to Jesus. This was real, active, put-everything-on-the-line, muscular, go-for-broke faith. I love it. It seems like this was the most irrational thing a person could possibly do. But faith is the refusal to panic. Faith has no back door. There was no safety net. Peter was not wearing those little water wings just in case it didn’t work out. Either he was going to walk on the water, or he was going to sink. How was Peter able to get out of that boat and walk on water? He looked at Jesus.

But then verse 30 tells us that when Peter "saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink." The moment Peter took his eyes off Jesus, he began to sink. It was a lapse of faith.

When you look at Jesus, amazing things can happen. When you focus on Jesus and seek His glory, God can do miraculous things.