“And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.” – Matthew 14:32

PETER WAS THE most daring out of all the disciples in the boat, amidst the wind and waves against them. With it being the fourth (and last) watch of the night – somewhere between 03:00 – 06:00 hrs –  It was most probably the darkest part of the night prior to dawn. No doubt they were wearied with increased efforts of rowing against the elements, and in the midst of this fatigue and darkness, it makes one wonder how they even saw the Son of God defying gravity by calmingly treading a turbulent sea. In fact, neither one of the disciples discerned Who it was but immediately gave way to perceiving such a figure as being a ghost. Fear was the overwhelming emotional factor. Men as they were still cried out in terror. For moments, the storm within these men’s souls outweighed the harsh realities of outward weather. Nothing subdued those heart-paralysing emotions until God incarnate spoke, “Take heart, it is I. Do not be afraid.” (verse 27). Everything atmospherically had changed, except for the winds that didn’t alter and the sea continued to harmonise. The Lord was now their supreme focus. Towering above relief was a sense of adoration, yet mixed with suspicion; is it really Him? Peter was the one to take the lead and suppressed all consequence of risk and audaciously responded to Jesus’ words: “Okay, if it’s really You, command me to walk on the water and make my way over to You.” Just a simple one-worded response by the One, Who created the wind and the waves, said, “Come.” To put it very informally, Peter didn’t hang about; there was no hesitation, and with such enthusiasm and confidence, Peter launched all-out. I can imagine by this point his silent spectating friends in the boat thinking, “Alright, Peter’s really lost his mind now.”  

Peter loved his Lord and so eagerly wanted to be with Him that he too defied gravity as he neared closer to the One Who invited him. Peter was literally walking by faith that seemingly contradicted the laws of nature. Recall the scene from the first superman movie (1978) with Christopher Reeve: as superman holds Lois Lane they take a grand tour up in the air over New York and surrounding area until eventually they make it above the clouds, by which point he is now holding just her arm and then just her hand, then her fingers as she’s smiling away enthralled by the moment, until eventually he deliberately lets go of her fingers, and for a tiny split-second she’s free flying. That connection severed was her downfall and reharmonising with gravity, down she went with an unbroken scream – who wouldn’t? As long as she remained consciously in direct contact with him she was safe and unperturbed. For those not familiar with this superhero narrative, rest assured that Lois Lane did not fall to her death; she was out of harm’s way so long as he was near. As we are well aware, that is just pure enjoyable fiction, and yet there is a longing within us for that heart-moving supernatural to exist. Well, such a supernatural Reality does exist, and Peter encountered that as he walked the waves unwaveringly. The realm of Almighty God – although He is not confined to space or time – infinitely transcends anything we deem as incredible within Marvel or DC comics. I don’t know what all exactly went through Peter’s mind. I’m sure a lot of things. Without a doubt, the rest of the disciples in the boat were rubbing their eyes to make sure they were seeing right; they were amazed to say the least. Peter… I believe his overruling excitement was inching his way closer to Jesus – his focus – Who made all this humanly impossible event transpire. I don’t doubt for a second he got incredibly near Him.

What altered everything? How and why did the wind all of a sudden distract Peter to begin his downfall? There are so many things we could speculate about, but the main pivotal reason wasn’t just the fact that he took his eyes off the Lord. He allowed the surrounding elements, that he was accustomed to, to be the overarching reality; he succumbed to leaning on his own understanding where faith ceased to operate. Was the moment Peter began to sink implying that it was all over for him; could Peter have turned his eye of faith back onto the Lord of creation? Yes, he most certainly could have, but he did what most of us do. In some ways it kind of reflects Adam in his state before he fell; could Adam have refused to fall into sin? Absolutely, but after sin it became a whole other scenario; sin had done its damage to the entire created world, and those that would be subsequently born would inherit that DNA of decay and death. Peter crying out, “Lord, save me” mirrors the cry of sinful humanity knowing it cannot save itself no matter how hard people try. We ought to know what to do, but sin has so impaired us that we cannot even begin to approach God aright unless the Holy Spirit leads and guides.

We know how Jesus responded with immediate saving, but His words, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” was a rebuke in such a gentle way that was restoring and in a way where such failure was not an end in and of itself, but a lesson to be learned. It was a hard and unforgettable lesson of growth.

No, Peter was never struck off. Christ first gazed on Peter before the foundation of the world. Christ gazed on him a second time with incarnate eyes when he first called him, knowing Peter in all of his sin before Peter saw it himself, but Christ’s penetrative gaze on Peter made him aware that something other worldly, something of an infinite realm that made Peter fully aware of his unfitness to stand in pure and undefiled light; Light had come exposing darkness, not to condemn but to liberate. That gaze of Christ or look of Christ on us is primary to our looking to Christ; He must first look on us before we look to Him; He must first choose us before we choose Him. That eternal gaze of Christ on Peter never shifted until Christ completed His work in him (Philippians 1:6). Every lesson taught, every rebuke given, every bitter trial and every sense of self failure was not exhausting Christ of His steadfast love toward Peter. Peter was to grow in the gift of faith – by grace alone – and by Christ’s intercession faith SHALL grow in every one of God’s sons and daughters. One moment a heavenly vision was given to Peter affirmed by Christ, the next as the devil spoke through him, responded to with a solemn rebuke. What a complex situation; what a complicated character Peter was… how unlike such people that we’d prefer to choose for missions or some other enterprise. We would have struck Peter off the list a long time ago! How little we know our own hearts; how ignorant we can be that sometimes there lurks a Pharisee in our own hearts. Let it be known that there is a Peter in ALL of us! Oh complex we are, deeply complex and complicated – awkward, foolish, of little faith, heavenly thoughts, devilish thoughts, one moment obedient to God, another obedient to our lusts. The dualism at times! How – just how – can God keep loving me, and how can I say that I’m a child of God when I see such small evidences of heavenly soul-saving change; I see my sin and blunders more than the fruits of the Spirit at times? Oh the sign of grieving over our sin, with the longing to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, signals we have been spiritually re-birthed.

Lastly, what I endeavour to draw our attention to is of the above verse, “And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.” (Matthew 14:32). For many decades of reading the scriptures, and of ones that we are all too familiar with, was this: after Jesus and Peter got into the boat the winds ceased. Why didn’t the winds stop when Jesus took hold of Peter amidst the engulfing waves? One would think that for Jesus to speak and intervene all would be quiet, but no, the winds and waves kept on as before while He taught Peter, and Peter was in some of the most intense learning sessions as never before. Sometimes God speaks while our storms rage, not just in the place of tranquillity; God has lessons for us to learn that cannot be grasped when all is peaceful and no conflict is taking place.

The Son of God spoke to the winds after they got back into the boat. Peter’s real safety was being anchored first and foremost into Christ amidst impending danger. It was inward security – fastened in Christ – prior to outward security. There was still inexhaustive mercy in Christ’s loving rebuke; there was no striking Peter off the list with failure to be cast off as a reject. Quite the opposite. When God sets His seal on His elect, they are sealed forever, secure in Christ. Peter did not lose his faith after he denied Christ. He lost his grasp of Christ, but Christ certainly hadn’t lost His omnipotent and eternal grasp of him. In his own mind, Peter was persuaded all was lost, his beliefs were as good as dead to him due to being sorely aware of his cowardice and outright denial of Jesus. “but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:32). Christ’s prayer was unto the effect of obtaining exactly what He prayed for. Sealed of God for eternity… no one – nothing – shall pluck God’s elect out of His hands. God pity the person who is convinced that we will only get to heaven because we persevered. Persevere we shall, but only by the grace of God. With our little and conceited minds, we assume it’s of our doing which is a futile attempt to take from God’s glory. He will get all the credit for our salvation – from its very beginning to its absolute, final and glorious completion.

Storm-tossed and not comforted, dear child of God, until you find your comfort and solace in Him. When we do, the waves calm, the storm is pacified, not so much by them no longer existing but by being more than conquerors through, over and above them. Our focus is on Christ not the surroundings, the circumstances, the difficulties, the impossibilities. O child of God, do you fear your faith is no match for what you’re in the midst of? Then go to Him Who rules the wind and the waves, Who will bear and lift you tenderly. Let it be known to Him that you want your faith to increase. It is His desire to do so as much as He ever intercedes for you, that your faith shall not fail but bring unspeakable glory and honour to Him.