Sometimes You Have To Get Out Of The Boat

One of the great opportunities my group experienced when traveling with me to Israel was a fantastic boat cruise on the Sea of Galilee.  

I've been on similar cruises when traveling to the Holy Land. Still, it never gets old to be out on the water of the Sea of Galilee, which is actually a below-sea-level, freshwater lake fed by the Jordan, which is actually not a river.  

I know. Names happen sometimes, regardless of history, facts, and the like.  

While we were having a pleasant cruise on the boat, I read the story of Jesus walking on water from Matthew's Gospel, and encouraged the group to spend a few moments in silence, looking around them and thinking about the story.  

For my own part, I got to thinking more deeply about that story, and what it means to me, so I thought I'd share some of those thoughts. 

During life’s storms, we easily find ourselves shaken, overwhelmed, and uncertain. But in Matthew 14:22-33, we are reminded of a profound truth: when Jesus calls us to step out of our comfort zones, He is always there to meet us, whether we walk confidently or begin to sink.

The story of Jesus walking on water and Peter’s bold step towards Him is among the Bible's most inspiring depictions of faith. 

When Jesus beckoned Peter to come, it was an invitation rooted in trust—an expectation that, just as Jesus was doing the impossible, so could his disciple. Peter’s belief that he could walk on water stemmed from a desire to follow his Teacher’s example, fueled by a faith that says, “If Jesus can do it, so can I.”

Yet, the moment Peter realized that he was walking on water—literally doing what was only possible through divine power—fear crept in. His focus shifted from Jesus to the storm, and he sank. 

But even as he faltered, Jesus’s words to him—“You of little faith, why did you doubt?”—echo not as a rebuke but as an endearing reminder of Jesus’s love. After all, Peter was the only disciple brave enough to step out of the boat at all. His attempt was an act of trust and courage, not failure.

This story reminds us that following Jesus often leads us into challenging situations, unfamiliar waters, and moments when doubt threatens to drown our faith. But the key to walking on water isn’t the absence of fear; it’s the willingness to step out despite it. 

To walk with Jesus, we must leave the comfort of the boat—the familiar, the safe—and venture into the unknown, trusting that He will hold us.

And when we do falter, when we begin to sink amid the storms of life, Jesus is there—stretching out His hand with love and compassion, ready to lift us up. Our failures don’t define us; His grace does. 

So I encourage you today to have the courage to step out of your comfort zone. Trust that Jesus’s presence is more than enough to sustain you, even when you feel like you’re sinking. 

Because in every step of faith, in every challenge faced, Jesus is right there, enabling us to walk on water—literally and spiritually.

Remember, walking on water begins with a step of faith. Take that step today, and trust Jesus to hold you every step of the way.