June 4| The Disciple Who Almost Walked on Water: Why Peter's "Failure" Changed Everything
Picture this: A grown man standing on top of the ocean. Not floating. Not swimming. Standing. His bare feet somehow finding purchase on liquid water like it's solid ground, taking actual steps toward a figure in the distance. For about ten seconds, this fisherman casually defies the fundamental laws of physics.
Then his brain catches up to what his feet are doing, terror floods his system, and he drops like a rock into water that should have been supporting him. This is the story of Peter walking on water - the only person in human history besides Jesus to accomplish this impossible feat, and he nearly drowned doing it.
Rethinking Peter's Water Walk: Success or Failure?
For years, I thought Peter's water walk was a story about failure. About doubt. About not having enough faith to finish what you started. But then it hit me like a revelation: Peter is literally the only human being in recorded history who has ever walked on water. His so-called "failure" was actually the most successful moment in human history.
That realization changes everything about how we understand faith, courage, and what it means to step out of our comfort zones when God calls us to do something impossible.
The Impossible Decision: Stepping Out of the Boat
You know that moment when you're about to do something that feels impossible, and everyone around you thinks you're crazy? That feeling when you're standing at the edge of a decision that could either be the best thing you've ever done or a spectacular disaster? Peter had that exact moment, except his impossible decision was whether to step out of a perfectly good boat onto the middle of a lake. At 3 AM. During a storm.
This isn't a parable or a metaphor. According to Matthew's Gospel, this actually happened. A fisherman looked at liquid water and said, "Yeah, I'll walk on that." And then he did.
Setting the Scene: A Night of Struggle
The context makes Peter's decision ten times more insane. The disciples had been rowing against brutal headwinds all night. These weren't weekend boaters - they were professional fishermen who knew this lake like their own backyard. And they were getting absolutely hammered.
Imagine trying to paddle upstream in a canoe while someone's hitting you with a leaf blower for eight hours straight. Their hands were raw, their backs were screaming, and they were making negative progress. Jesus had sent them ahead while he went up the mountain to pray alone for hours.
Now it's the fourth watch of the night - somewhere between 3 and 6 AM, the darkest, most exhausting part of any struggle. They're probably taking turns rowing, conserving energy, wondering if they're going to make it to shore. That's when they see something that breaks their brains.
When Physics Breaks Down: Jesus Walks on Water
A figure walking toward them. On the water. Not in a boat. Not swimming. Walking.
Their first thought isn't "Oh, it's Jesus!" Their first thought is "GHOST!" Which honestly makes perfect sense. You're exhausted, it's dark, and someone is casually strolling across the surface of a lake during a storm. Ghost seems like the most logical explanation.
But then the figure calls out: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
Peter's Radical Request: "Let Me Try That"
Here's where Peter does something that nobody else in that boat would even consider. He doesn't just recognize Jesus. He doesn't just feel relief. He sees someone walking on water and thinks, "I want to try that."
"Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you on the water."
Think about that request for a second. Peter sees his friend performing a miracle that should be impossible, and his immediate response is "Can I get in on this?" Not "How are you doing that?" Not "Is this real?" Not "Maybe I should stay in this nice, solid boat." He wants to walk on water.
And Jesus - and this is what I love about Jesus - doesn't laugh. Doesn't say "Peter, you're not ready for this." Doesn't give him a lecture about faith and preparation. He just says one word: "Come."
The Moment That Defied Everything: Peter Walks on Water
Peter climbs out of the boat. Let me pause here because we don't fully grasp how radical this moment is. Peter is a fisherman. He knows water. He knows that human beings don't float, let alone walk on liquid surfaces.
Every instinct, every piece of experience, every law of physics he's ever observed is screaming at him that this is suicide. The water is dark, choppy, deep enough to drown in. But he steps out anyway.
And here's the moment that still gives me chills every time I read it: It works.
Peter's foot touches the water and it holds. Like stepping onto solid ground. He takes another step. Still solid. Another step. He's actually doing it.
Can you imagine what that felt like? The sensation of liquid water supporting your weight like concrete? The impossible becoming possible under your feet? For those few seconds, Peter is experiencing something no other human has ever experienced. He's not just witnessing a miracle - he's participating in one.
When Physics Returns: The Moment of Doubt
But then - and this is where the story gets beautifully, tragically human - he notices the wind. The same wind that's been battering them all night. The same storm that was there when he stepped out of the boat. Nothing about the circumstances changed.
But suddenly, Peter's brain starts doing math. "Wait a minute. I'm standing on water. In a storm. This is impossible. I should be drowning right now."
And the moment he shifts from faith to physics, the water stops supporting him. Down he goes.
But here's what gets me about this moment: Peter doesn't go quietly. He doesn't just accept that he's about to drown. He prays the shortest, most desperate prayer in the entire Bible: "Lord, save me!"
Three words. No fancy theology. No eloquent requests. Just pure, raw desperation thrown at the only person who can help.
Jesus's Immediate Response: Grace in the Storm
And immediately - the text says immediately - Jesus reaches out and catches him. Here's what messed with my head when I really studied this story: Jesus's response to Peter isn't what I expected.
He doesn't say "Good try." He doesn't say "I'm proud of you for attempting the impossible." He says something that sounds almost disappointed: "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
For years, I read that as criticism. Like Peter had failed some kind of faith test. But then I realized something that completely flipped my understanding of this story: Peter is the only person in that boat who got out.
While eleven other disciples sat safely in the boat, watching this miracle happen, Peter said "I want to be part of this."
The Real Lesson: Courage Over Comfort
Peter walked on water. Not metaphorically. Literally. He did something that was supposed to be impossible, and for a few precious seconds, it worked. His doubt didn't erase his faith. His sinking didn't cancel out his walking.
This story isn't about Peter's failure. It's about Peter's courage to try something that eleven other people weren't willing to attempt. It's about the difference between playing it safe and stepping into the impossible.
I've been in recovery for eleven years, and I've learned something about walking on water. Sometimes your biggest leaps of faith start working before your brain catches up to what you're doing.
When I got sober, I had no idea how I was going to rebuild my life. When I started co-parenting with my ex-wife and her new husband, I had no blueprint for making that work. When I decided to start talking about faith publicly with tattoos and earrings and a criminal record - every time felt like stepping out of the boat.
Modern Applications: Your Water-Walking Moments
What I've discovered is that sometimes you start sinking the moment you start thinking too hard about what you're attempting. The water holds you when you're moving toward Jesus. It's when you start looking at the storm, calculating the odds, letting fear override faith - that's when you go under.
But here's the part that gives me hope: Jesus doesn't let Peter drown. The moment Peter calls out, Jesus is there. Not after a lecture about faith. Not after Peter proves he's learned his lesson. Immediately.
Because maybe the point isn't to walk on water perfectly. Maybe the point is to be willing to step out of the boat when Jesus says "Come." Maybe the point is that failing while attempting the impossible is still better than succeeding at staying safe.
The Aftermath: What Happens Next
When Jesus and Peter climb back into the boat, the storm immediately stops. All the disciples worship Jesus, saying "Truly you are the Son of God." But I keep thinking about Peter in that moment. Soaking wet, probably embarrassed, having just experienced both the highest high and lowest low of his life in the span of about thirty seconds.
Does he regret stepping out? Does he wish he'd stayed safe with the others? Or does he look at his wet clothes and think, "I walked on water. For a few seconds there, I actually walked on water."
Understanding Jesus's Question
I think Jesus's question - "Why did you doubt?" - wasn't condemnation. It was coaching. Jesus was essentially saying, "Peter, you were doing the impossible until you started thinking it was impossible. What if you had kept your eyes on me instead of the storm?"
What impossible thing is Jesus asking you to attempt right now? What's your water-walking moment that you're too scared to try? Maybe it's not about guaranteeing success. Maybe it's about being willing to step out when you hear "Come."
The Ultimate Truth: Getting Out of the Boat
Because the disciples who stayed in the boat were safe. But Peter? Peter got to walk on water.
And when you start to sink - because you probably will - remember Peter's prayer: "Lord, save me." Three words. And Jesus will be right there. Every single time.
The disciples who played it safe witnessed a miracle. But Peter participated in one. That's the difference between staying in the boat and stepping onto the water. That's the difference between watching God work and being part of what God is doing.
Your water-walking moment is waiting. The question isn't whether you'll succeed perfectly. The question is whether you'll have the courage to step out of the boat when you hear Jesus say, "Come."
An Invitation to go Deeper….
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