Faith on the Water
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Jesus calls us to live with courageous faith. As I shared in a previous blog, courage is something Jesus speaks about emphatically. We might debate whether faith without courage can truly be called faith, but this much is clear: when our faith never moves us beyond what is safe and comfortable, we miss much of the adventure to which Jesus invites us—and our faith can gradually begin to shrink.
In Matthew 14:22–33, the disciples find themselves in a boat, battling a storm. Jesus comes toward them, walking on the water, and speaks three powerful words:
As Peter reaches for Jesus and relies upon His strength in the middle of the storm, we discover several important truths about courageous faith.
Courageous Faith Begins in Prayer
Before Jesus walked onto the water, He withdrew to pray (v. 23). John’s account tells us that the crowd wanted to make Jesus king by force, but Jesus refused to be shaped by their expectations. He withdrew into the presence of His Father.
Courage is not something we manufacture through determination. It grows through dependence. Before we can stand faithfully in the storm, we must learn to kneel faithfully in prayer.
Courageous Faith Trusts Jesus Even When He Seems Distant
The disciples had faced a storm before, but on that occasion Jesus was physically in the boat with them. This time, He initially seemed absent while the wind and waves worked against them (v. 24).
There will be moments when Jesus does not seem as close as we would like Him to be. Courageous faith remembers that even when we cannot see Jesus, He still sees us. His apparent absence does not mean He has abandoned us.
Courageous Faith Grows from a Clearer Vision of Jesus
When the disciples first saw Jesus walking on the water, they thought He was a ghost. Jesus responded:
“Take courage! It is I.” — Matthew 14:27
The Greek words translated “It is I” can also echo the language “I AM”—the name through which God revealed Himself to Moses in Exodus 3. At the very least, Jesus was directing their attention away from the storm and toward His identity.
Our courage does not come from believing more strongly in ourselves. It comes from seeing Jesus more clearly. The better we understand who He is, the more confidently we can trust Him.
Courageous Faith Responds to Jesus’ Invitation
Peter did not merely admire Jesus from the safety of the boat. When Jesus said, “Come,” Peter stepped onto the water (v. 29).
Faith becomes visible through obedience. Peter’s faith was not demonstrated by what he believed while sitting in the boat, but by what he did in response to Jesus’ invitation.
Courageous faith takes the next step—even when that step feels uncertain.
Courageous Faith Involves Risk—but Jesus Keeps Saving Us
Peter walked on the water, but then he noticed the wind, became afraid and began to sink. He cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately, Jesus reached out and caught him (vv. 30–31).
Peter’s faith was imperfect, but it was active. He stepped out, he faltered and he discovered that Jesus was still strong enough to save him.
Courageous faith does not mean that we will never become afraid or get things wrong. It means that when we begin to sink, we know whose name to call. We may lose our footing, but Jesus never loses His grip.
Courageous Faith Leads to Deeper Trust
Before Peter stepped out of the boat, he asked, “Lord, if it’s You…” (v. 28). By the end of the story, the disciples were worshipping Jesus and declaring, “Truly You are the Son of God” (v. 33).
Courageous faith helps move us from “if” to “truly.”
When we respond to Jesus, we experience His faithfulness in ways that observation alone can never teach us. Courage becomes a bridge to deeper trust and a clearer understanding of who Jesus is.
Faith or Foolishness?
Perhaps the most important lesson is that courageous faith begins by hearing from God.
Not every risk is an act of faith. Faith is not reckless, impulsive or driven by the need to prove something. True faith responds to what Jesus has said.
Before making a courageous decision, I sometimes pause and ask myself:
“Is this a faith-filled decision—or simply a foolish one?”
Peter stepping out of the boat would have been foolish if Jesus had not first invited him to come. But because Jesus spoke, Peter’s step became an act of faith.
The difference was not the size of the risk. The difference was the voice of Jesus.
Thankfully, as we study Scripture, we discover that Jesus has already spoken clearly about many of the decisions with which we wrestle. Courageous faith begins by listening to His voice, testing what we hear against His Word and then responding in obedience.
What might Jesus be inviting you to do today?
Where do you need to move beyond comfort, trust His character and take your next faithful step?
Listen closely. Step faithfully. Live courageously.
Jesus calls us to live with courageous faith. As I shared in a previous blog, courage is something Jesus speaks about emphatically. We might debate whether faith without courage can truly be called faith, but this much is clear: when our faith never moves us beyond what is safe and comfortable, we miss much of the adventure to which Jesus invites us—and our faith can gradually begin to shrink.
In Matthew 14:22–33, the disciples find themselves in a boat, battling a storm. Jesus comes toward them, walking on the water, and speaks three powerful words:
As Peter reaches for Jesus and relies upon His strength in the middle of the storm, we discover several important truths about courageous faith.
Courageous Faith Begins in Prayer
Before Jesus walked onto the water, He withdrew to pray (v. 23). John’s account tells us that the crowd wanted to make Jesus king by force, but Jesus refused to be shaped by their expectations. He withdrew into the presence of His Father.
Courage is not something we manufacture through determination. It grows through dependence. Before we can stand faithfully in the storm, we must learn to kneel faithfully in prayer.
Courageous Faith Trusts Jesus Even When He Seems Distant
The disciples had faced a storm before, but on that occasion Jesus was physically in the boat with them. This time, He initially seemed absent while the wind and waves worked against them (v. 24).
There will be moments when Jesus does not seem as close as we would like Him to be. Courageous faith remembers that even when we cannot see Jesus, He still sees us. His apparent absence does not mean He has abandoned us.
Courageous Faith Grows from a Clearer Vision of Jesus
When the disciples first saw Jesus walking on the water, they thought He was a ghost. Jesus responded:
“Take courage! It is I.” — Matthew 14:27
The Greek words translated “It is I” can also echo the language “I AM”—the name through which God revealed Himself to Moses in Exodus 3. At the very least, Jesus was directing their attention away from the storm and toward His identity.
Our courage does not come from believing more strongly in ourselves. It comes from seeing Jesus more clearly. The better we understand who He is, the more confidently we can trust Him.
Courageous Faith Responds to Jesus’ Invitation
Peter did not merely admire Jesus from the safety of the boat. When Jesus said, “Come,” Peter stepped onto the water (v. 29).
Faith becomes visible through obedience. Peter’s faith was not demonstrated by what he believed while sitting in the boat, but by what he did in response to Jesus’ invitation.
Courageous faith takes the next step—even when that step feels uncertain.
Courageous Faith Involves Risk—but Jesus Keeps Saving Us
Peter walked on the water, but then he noticed the wind, became afraid and began to sink. He cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately, Jesus reached out and caught him (vv. 30–31).
Peter’s faith was imperfect, but it was active. He stepped out, he faltered and he discovered that Jesus was still strong enough to save him.
Courageous faith does not mean that we will never become afraid or get things wrong. It means that when we begin to sink, we know whose name to call. We may lose our footing, but Jesus never loses His grip.
Courageous Faith Leads to Deeper Trust
Before Peter stepped out of the boat, he asked, “Lord, if it’s You…” (v. 28). By the end of the story, the disciples were worshipping Jesus and declaring, “Truly You are the Son of God” (v. 33).
Courageous faith helps move us from “if” to “truly.”
When we respond to Jesus, we experience His faithfulness in ways that observation alone can never teach us. Courage becomes a bridge to deeper trust and a clearer understanding of who Jesus is.
Faith or Foolishness?
Perhaps the most important lesson is that courageous faith begins by hearing from God.
Not every risk is an act of faith. Faith is not reckless, impulsive or driven by the need to prove something. True faith responds to what Jesus has said.
Before making a courageous decision, I sometimes pause and ask myself:
“Is this a faith-filled decision—or simply a foolish one?”
Peter stepping out of the boat would have been foolish if Jesus had not first invited him to come. But because Jesus spoke, Peter’s step became an act of faith.
The difference was not the size of the risk. The difference was the voice of Jesus.
Thankfully, as we study Scripture, we discover that Jesus has already spoken clearly about many of the decisions with which we wrestle. Courageous faith begins by listening to His voice, testing what we hear against His Word and then responding in obedience.
What might Jesus be inviting you to do today?
Where do you need to move beyond comfort, trust His character and take your next faithful step?
Listen closely. Step faithfully. Live courageously.
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