Walking on the Sea (Matthew 14:22-33)

As I was reading these scriptures, I couldn't help thinking about the faith we have in our Savior.  Are there times in your life when your faith has been tested? I know I've had those times in my life, and I also know that my faith is what brought me through those times. This weeks' blog post focuses on when Peter's faith was tested when he saw Jesus walking on the sea towards he and the other Apostles. I love these scriptures and seeing the love that Jesus shows Peter when Peter calls out to the Lord to save him.

What was the reaction of the Apostles when they first saw the Savior walking on the water toward them.  When the Apostles first saw Jesus "walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit: and they cried out for fear.” (Matthew 14:26) But Jesus called to them and told them to be happy and to be not afraid, for it was He who walked towards them. (Matthew 14:27)  

What did Peter’s response indicate about him? Peter’s response showed us that he was still doubtful that it was the Lord. I think Peter may have felt that he was being misguided or that this could have been Satan trying to lure or tempt him into thinking this was Jesus, so he needed reassurance.

Why did Peter begin to sink? (Matthew 14:30) There are many times in our lives when fear may cause our faith to waver and I think this was one of those times when Peter let his fear cause his faith to falter just enough that he began to sink.

What did Peter do when he began to sink? When Peter felt himself sinking, he grasped hold of his faith, and he called out to the Lord to save Him. 

"And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”   When Jesus hears one of his brothers or sisters call to him in need, his response is immediate.  He does not hesitate to help those who faithfully follow Him.

 Because Peter dedicated his life to serving the Lord, his faith in Christ was unfailing. (D&C 88:67)

How can this same principle be applied to my life to assist me in walking over the storms of life? Although there was a brief moment when fear caused his faith to falter, he knew that Jesus would not let him sink into the water. It is the same with us.  When we dedicate our lives to our Savior and live by His commandments, we have faith in knowing that He will always be there to protect and guide us.  We have His light to guide us always. No matter what storms life brings us, and no matter the fear that comes with this storms, we must keep our faith that He will always be there to give us His hand and keep us from sinking. Through our faith, when we call to Him in need, He will immediately stretch forth His hand and be there for us.