March 7, 2026
(Craig Kozminski)
Matthew 14:22-33 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
28And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
——————
Our scripture today is likely a familiar one, even to those who are newer to the Christian faith. The account of Jesus walking on the water is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John. In each instance, Jesus sends the apostles out onto the water immediately after he feeds the five thousand. The apostles eventually struggle against the wind and the waves before Jesus comes to them. They find themselves in quite a predicament: stuck in a boat in the middle of a storm, in the dead of night, literally tossed to and fro by the elements. And yet, in the middle of the storm that Jesus sovereignly sent them into, He comes to them and offers not a life jacket, a tow to the shore, or a more stable vessel, but himself.
This prompts the apostles—for the first time in Matthew’s Gospel—to affirm the identity of Jesus as the “Son of God.” Readers of Matthew will recall that during Jesus’ baptism, the Spirit of God descended and the Father declared, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). However, this passage marks the first time that the apostles, as one corporate body, confess that Jesus truly is the “Son of God.”
What is especially interesting in this passage is the way that the Holy Spirit works through Peter. While the disciples remain focused on their fear of the wind and the waves, Peter’s focus is fixed on the very Word of God made flesh. Jesus commands Peter, “Come” and Peter steps out of the boat and into the water – a bold move! After initially appearing to take steps and remaining on the surface, Peter’s focus moves from the Word to the wind and he begins to sink. In grace and by the very hand of Jesus, Peter is delivered from drowning when Jesus rescues him and takes him by the hand.
We should view Peter’s actions not as a failed attempt to become a superhero, but as a reminder that our boldest steps of faith are only possible when taken in reliance on the command of Jesus’ Word. Fear has a way of distracting us from that Word; it causes us to stumble, to sink into the depths, and it creates a positive feedback loop of anxiety and doubt. We are not capable of breaking this pattern on our own but depend in every way on Christ who intercedes on our behalf and takes us by the hand with his Spirit and Word. Let us pray for the ability to fix our eyes on Jesus, even when surrounded by the wind and the waves, and with the confidence that his grip on us remains steadfast!
——————
An audio version of each devotion will be posted on our church podcast “Life Together at CRPC,” which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.