Grace & Truth Chapel
131 Fardale Avenue ~ Mahwah, New Jersey
Phone 201-327-6226 ~ E-mail gtchapel@juno.com

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"Fear or Faith?" (posted October 1, 2002)

      Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
      So He said, "Come."
      And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out.
      - Matthew 14:28-30

At the call of Christ, Peter left the ship and came forth to walk on the stormy water, to pursue a path entirely beyond and above nature, requiring faith. When he started fearing and was no longer trusting, then he began to sink.

Peter is a striking figure of an individual Christian. We are called to walk in a path that is entirely beyond and above nature, not leaning upon human resources or temporal things. We are called to live by faith, and with the Lord in calm confidence above the circumstances of the world altogether; and the moment we become fearful because of the circumstances, we too, like Peter, begin to sink.

Jesus had said, "Take courage...be not afraid" (v. 27). Peter did not have to leave the ship to get courage, but he would have been a loser. We too are prone to rest in the thought of having the Lord with us, and His mercies round us in our daily path. We linger amid the relationships of nature, the joys of earth, and the blessings our gracious God pours upon us so liberally, instead of pursuing the risky path with a rejected Christ. In this we suffer immense loss.

What is important here is not that Jesus was coming to Peter in the ship, but that Peter was coming to Jesus. It is one thing to have Jesus coming into the midst of our circumstances, hushing our fears, allaying our anxieties, tranquilizing our hearts, but it is quite another thing for us to walk in calm victory over the circumstances in order to be with Jesus where He is.

C. H. Mackintosh



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