In Exodus 14, we read the miraculous account of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea on dry ground, when God literally parted the waters, making a path through the centre. Having used ten plagues to free his people from Egyptian slavery, God led them to the seashore. He also allowed the Egyptians to follow. The Israelites were trapped, with the sea before them, and Egypt closing in behind. No wonder they were scared. However, in verses 13-14, Moses says, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Easier said than done, I imagine. Although they’d already witnessed God’s power through the plagues and their miraculous escape from their captors, the people were surely scared.
I wonder what they thought as the east wind blew, and the water piled up into walls with a path through the middle. As the first community members stepped out, did they look up at the water with fear, knowing it could pour back down and crush them in seconds? Did some have to be coaxed or pushed? Whatever their feelings, they made it safely to the other side, and when their enemies tried to follow, God firstly hampered them, then drowned them as the waters returned to their customary place.
Have you ever had a Red Sea experience? You felt trapped, with danger and fears, before and behind. Then suddenly, God made a way where there seemed to be no way. He parted the waters and smashed down the barriers. He split the sea so you could walk right through it unscathed. And the troubles that threatened to follow you were drowned by the power of his almighty love. What a miracle! What a Saviour! You danced and sang for joy, just as the Israelites did when they came out of the sea.
Next, let’s turn our attention to a second rescue story, again involving water. God’s children were about to enter the promised land, but they had a river to cross. It was the Jordan, and we’re told it was in full flood. Not as scary as the Red Sea, perhaps, but still beyond our average human capabilities.
This time, the people had Levitical priests and the Ark of the Covenant, symbolising God’s presence among them. Moses was dead, and God wanted to establish Joshua as their new leader. He needed to prove he was with him, just as he had been with Moses. So the priests carrying the Ark were told to enter the water first, and Joshua promised that as soon as their feet touched the water, the flow would be cut off upstream, and the river would stand up like a wall.
On this occasion, the priests had to step into the river. An act of obedience would prompt God’s miraculous response, but once again, his people would pass through safely to the other side. This reminds me of seasons during which waiting for God’s solution to a problem has involved taking a step of faith. Yet, one baby step from me was greeted by giant leaps from him. All the priests had to do was step off the riverbank, but God stopped the flow of the river.
Finally, let’s consider one more Bible story involving water. However, this one is very different. It’s in the New Testament, it involves Jesus himself, and it includes one of the greatest leaps of faith recorded in Scripture.
In Matthew 14, we find Jesus’ disciples in a boat on a lake. Jesus isn’t with them, because he is still dismissing the crowds following the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. I can picture the disciples eagerly discussing that day’s events. How jubilant they must have been. Yet excitement soon turned to fear when a strong wind rose, forcing them to fight heavy waves. They were seasoned fishermen, but this storm was beyond their capabilities. Then, about three o’clock in the morning, they saw something that almost finished them off! Someone was walking towards them on the water. Surely, it was a ghost! But as soon as he spoke, they knew it was Jesus. “Don’t be afraid. Take courage. I am here.” Matthew 14:27 NLT.)
The twelve men were accustomed to Jesus doing strange things, but they’d never seen anything like this! However, ever the courageous one, peter called out, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” (Matthew 14: 28 NLT). Was he testing Jesus? Whatever his motives, I’m sure Peter was gobsmacked when Jesus answered his request in the affirmative. So over the edge of the boat he went, and amazingly, peter started walking on the water towards Jesus. How did the other disciples feel when they saw this? How did Peter feel?
Sadly, we know the answer to my second question, because verse 30 tells us that when peter saw the wind and the waves, he was terrified, and he began to sink. Before we are tempted to criticise peter, let’s imagine ourselves in his place. We are doing something that is humanly impossible. We are walking on water. Not treading water but walking on-top of it as if we’re taking a casual stroll down the road. Wouldn’t our logical brains start working in overdrive, just as peter’s did, reminding us of all the reasons this isn’t possible? People don’t walk on water. And this water isn’t even calm. It’s choppy, and there’s a strong wind blowing that threatens to knock us off our feet. We can feel it stinging our faces as it whips up the water, cascading it over our heads in a fury of spray. This is crazy! It can’t be happening! We’re going to drown! And so we do.
However, with us, as with peter, Jesus is always there to rescue. He knows our faith is weak, and he knows we doubt him. He wishes we wouldn’t, but he understands why we do. So he takes hold of us and helps us back into the safety of the boat. Then, he calms the storm, and guides us safely to the shore.
Unlike some, I am less inclined to criticise peter for his fears, and more eager to applaud him for having the courage to step out of the boat and try. How far did he walk before fear overtook him? We don’t know, but he must have taken a few steps. For however short a time, peter was doing the impossible. By trusting in Jesus, he broke all the laws of gravity that tell us water isn’t solid, so you can’t walk on it. peter’s journey with Jesus was just beginning, so he still had many lessons to learn. His faith grew with every step, and sometimes even with every failure, like when he publicly denied Jesus on the night he was betrayed.
I don’t know where you are in your faith journey. Perhaps you are rejoicing after a red sea or Jordan river crossing. God has shown his power in miraculous ways. Or maybe, like me, you are berating yourself for mistakes and your lack of faith. Jesus called you to come to him walking on the water, and you took the first step, but the second was harder, and the third felt impossible. So you cried out, and our ever-loving Jesus rescued you with reassurances of love and safety. If that’s where you are, please don’t beat yourself up. Maybe the next time, you’ll take a few more steps. Maybe you’ll even make it all the way. Water walking is hard, but Peter’s struggles weren’t the end of his road, and ours won’t be either.
I want to be someone who walks on the water, yet all too often I cling to the boat. I like the comfort the familiar offers. I don’t like change, or anything that feels unnerving. Writing my first novel, Just Benny, was a bit like walking through the Red Sea on dry ground. Walls of fear piled up on either side, telling me why I shouldn’t be drafting a book. I didn’t know what I was doing. Would anyone ever want to read it? But I took one step at a time, with Jesus guiding me all the way. There were moments when I literally felt him dictating parts of the manuscript into my mind. Publishing the book was more like stepping into the Jordan River because I had to take certain risks in order to make it happen, but God met me there too. He stopped the flow of the river, and once again, I walked through on dry ground. However, with this second book, I literally feel as though I am walking on the water, and sometimes, I long to return to the safety of the boat. It wouldn’t matter if I never wrote a sequel. I could do other, safer things. No one would mind. Wasn’t it enough of an achievement to publish one novel? Well, the answer is yes, it was, and I am still amazed at what God enabled me to do, but now he is stretching me. He wants me to go further. Rather than clearing the way before me, he wants me to get up and walk on the water. He wants me to do what feels impossible. And so, I will walk on, often in fear and trembling. Sometimes, I take a break and return to the safety of the boat, where Jesus welcomes me with a warm cup of tea and a place to rest. But then he urges me to step out again and write a bit more. It’s a slower journey than the first book because it feels more intense, but every time I want to quit, he reminds me I am still at the centre of his will.
I pray that if God calls you to walk on water in 2024, you will have the courage to step forth, and if, like me, you sometimes retreat in fear, you will know that with Jesus, you can always begin again. The same peter who felt himself drowning when he saw the wind and the waves stood up on the day of Pentecost and preached one of the most powerful sermons ever recorded. He raised a dead woman, healed the sick, and responded to a vision that birthed the gentile church. So be encouraged, fix your gaze upon Jesus, and take the next step.