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Call Out His Name

April 14, 2021·Shaina Webb

Lord, if it’s You,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to You on the water.” “Come,” He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” “Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”
— Matthew 14:28-31 (NIV)
If you’re like me, it can be easy to take miraculous moments like these for granted. Because I’m familiar with these extraordinary moments, I often find myself reading through the New Testament, especially the Gospels, picking and choosing what I want to absorb. Breezing past these miracles, because I “know“ them: Jesus feeds the five thousand, Jesus brings people to life, Jesus heals men, women, children, sinners, and Gentiles. Yet, as I was reading Matthew 14 this week, these verses jumped off the page. It’s amazing how the Holy Spirit allows us to see His Word with fresh eyes. Aren’t you thankful for that?!
In this Scripture passage, Peter seems to challenge or test Jesus by saying, “Lord, if it’s You, tell me to come to You on the water.” And Jesus simply responds, “Come.” No eloquent words. No fluff. Jesus simply gives an instruction, testing Peter’s faith.
Peter, looking at the face of the Lord, eyes set on His peace, salvation, and grace, then begins to walk on water. I’ll say that again, Peter WALKED ON WATER! Yet, when the winds come, Peter takes his eyes off his God and he begins to sink. Have you been there before? I know I have. I ask the Lord and He simply says, ”Come to me,” I walk in the midst of His miracles, and then the second my circumstances become less than ideal, I take my eyes off the Lord and I begin to sink, I become afraid, I begin to doubt.
And YET, the Lord responds. The NIV translation says the Lord “immediately” reaches out His hand and catches Peter. What a gracious Father we have, even in the midst of our doubt, He pulls us out and brings us to Him and then, like a good Father, He asks us why we doubt, why are we afraid, why did we take our eyes off of our lifeline, our help, our salvation, our God?
Friend, whether you feel like you’re walking on water or sinking, in need of saving, know that God sees you, and He immediately reaches out His hand and catches you when you call upon the name of our Father God.
This week, let’s take time to thank the Lord for what He’s done, the miracles He’s performed, the water you have walked on, and reflect on the areas of doubt, the sinking and the fear… and be prepared to answer the Lord when He asks you, “Why did you doubt? Why are you afraid?”
Our God is a good God. He comes to those who call out His name, and immediately lifts us up, so we can walk on water into His loving arms.
Shaina Webb

The Church on the Way