Devotionals for the Heart: When Jesus Christ calls you to step out on faith

Walk on the Water
A devotional by Hannah Benson

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

—2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV)

Remember Peter in the Bible?

In Matthew 14:29, Jesus Christ calls him to step out of the boat into the great unknown and walk on water. No one in history, save the Lamb of God Himself, had ever walked on water. Jesus could walk on water because He was God. But could Peter, a mere mortal, accomplish such a feat unheard of to humankind?

After Jesus calls him, Peter steps onto the waves. One step led to another. Perhaps excitement thrummed in his chest. Can you imagine? God had called Him to do the impossible, and he was doing it. How must he have felt?

The elation and bravery quickly faded when Peter “saw the wind” (Matthew 14:30 ESV). It was the middle of a storm. I can almost imagine the waves fiercely slapping his ankles. Fear choked him, and his greatest fears at the time were realized as he began to sink into the depths of the waters beneath him.

What ran through his mind then? I don’t know. Perhaps Peter questioned his ability to walk on water. He was, after all, a mere mortal. Or perhaps Peter realized that it wasn’t his ability at all but faith in the One who could do the impossible that had allowed him in turn to do what he’d never imagined possible.

When the apostle started sinking into the ocean, perhaps he thought it would be the end of his life story. Perhaps he thought he might disappear beneath the depths of the waters forever. But Jesus had other ideas and plans for Peter.

Reaching out His hand, Jesus grabbed hold of Peter and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31 ESV). Jesus didn’t leave Peter to die but instead rescued him and challenged his faith.

This made me think: How many times does the Lord call us to “walk on water”? To walk out into the depths of the unknown and to do something that seems impossible? How many times do we hold back in fear, allowing what we can see—or what we can’t—to set the limit when God calls us higher?

Remember what the Bible says in Luke 1:37 (ESV), “For nothing will be impossible with God.” If the Lord calls us to it, He will see us through it.

Even if the path before us is unknown, there is such joy to be found on the other side of obedience when we faithfully walk to where God has called us. Had Peter chosen to fix his eyes on Jesus and to walk on the water, he wouldn’t have sunk. When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we acknowledge that it is only by His grace that we’ve made it here thus far and only by His grace we will continue on this journey.

Imagine what awaits us on the other side if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. I know I don’t want to let fear hold me back from what God calls me to do. Do you?

Let’s Pray:

Dear Father God,

I’m sorry for allowing my fear to hold me back from “walking on water” with You. I know You can do the impossible. If You’ve called me to step out on faith, then please help me to obey You and to follow where You lead. I don’t want to miss out on the amazing things You have planned because I’m afraid. Please increase my faith! In Jesus’s Name, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Walk on the Water” by Britt Nicole. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Hannah Benson is a Jesus-follower who’s passionate about sharing the love of Christ with others. 

From the time she could hold a pen, she was writing. But it wasn’t until she was sixteen that she began to follow God’s calling to pursue writing seriously. Hannah is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). In addition to fiction, she also writes devotionals and has been published on other websites. Her prayer is that her readers leave deeply encouraged and more in love with Jesus.

When not writing, Hannah also enjoys being involved with local theater companies, with a primary focus on Biblical theater. She wants to show the love of Jesus through the creative arts.

You can read more of Hannah’s writings on her blog or on her Instagram where she strives to write content that leaves others feeling encouraged.

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Connect with Hannah:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Hannah-Lynn-Writer/100073790792576/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahlbensonwrites/