Matthew 14:28-33 Walk on the Water
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: April 12, 2019, Matthew 14:28-33
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
(Understanding the Text) This passage shows a relationship between the disciples and Jesus which was one of challenge and novelty. I always think that Jesus chose these particular disciples because of their faith and teachability, and I am right, I think, but there may have been another component in their personalities that Jesus wanted–a love of adventure and willingness to try new things. These were not people who played it safe. They were ready to undergo new experiences and see new places. They traveled all over with Jesus and even farther as apostles. They met with all kinds of people that they would never had had contact with otherwise, and they were faced with all kinds of impossible realities which, while they were all beneficial to humans, could still totally bend a person’s mind and force them to rethink everything they knew.
Just a thought. All the disciples traveled to far-off places and died martyr’s deaths, except one. John eventually made it to Ephesus, but only after the church there was well-established. He made it to Rome as a prisoner and to the island of Patmos, but he wasn’t the intrepid missionary opening up new fields. When Jesus gave His mother into John’s keeping was it partly to keep him in one place? John was there at every beginning step. He and Peter traveled throughout Israel, but He seems to have been support personnel for Peter. John’s position in the kingdom of heaven on earth seems to have been as the stabilizing influence. He followed Jesus closely enough that the gate of the high priest’s house was not closed to him. Thus, he was able to get Peter into the courtyard. He did not forget his friend, but used his influence to get him in. He was at the cross with Jesus’ mother providing support for her. He only wrote his gospel after the other three were written, and he saw some gaps in the story that needed to be filled. His epistles were written when he was an old man and may have been the last books of the Bible written. Each of the disciples had a special destiny. We don’t know what that was. Some lived longer than others, but I think in God’s eyes they were all equally important. They all received specialized instruction, but Peter, James, and John were favored with even more. John didn’t jump out of the boat and swim to get to his beloved Jesus like his impulsive friend Peter, but John recognized Jesus first and brought the boat in and then refused to be left behind when Jesus took Peter to be alone with him. John may not have been as adventurous as the others, but he was focused on following Jesus wherever that led him.
(Revelation of God) Why walk on water and why at this particular time? The disciples had just seen the miracle of the bread and fish and were all ready to crown Jesus king because of it, and rather than try to calm them down, Jesus shows them a bigger, more stunning miracle. Why? Part of it was that Jesus needed to reach them without a boat, and they were in the middle of a lake, but maybe another reason was to make them realize that they could not control Him and Jesus did not need their support to accomplish His goals, yet they were helpless without Him.
(Understanding the Text) Peter tells us of his weaknesses and we tend to focus on those, but Peter had an adventurous spirit that was ready to try new things regardless of the risk. His impulsiveness was a weakness, but it was also a strength. When Jesus said follow, Peter was the first to run after Him. Peter’s impulsiveness wasn’t necessarily what got him into trouble. It was second-guessing himself once he was out on a limb. It wasn’t wrong to follow Jesus onto the water. It was wrong to doubt. It was not wrong to follow Jesus into the trial. It was wrong to not go all the way to Jesus’ side. When being impulsive, Peter’s problem was in not following through. With Cornelius, Jesus knew that he could get Peter there because of his willing to follow, but I notice that Jesus timed the vision and the representatives coming at the same time so that Peter would not have any time to second guess himself. Paul’s criticism is another example of this. Peter’s first impulse to dine with the Gentiles was correct. He got in trouble when representatives from Jerusalem came and made him second guess himself and doubt himself so that he stopped his first impulsive actions. Peter’s impulsiveness coupled with his love for Jesus allowed him to be used greatly. His self-doubt was his Achille’s heel.
(Application / Prayer) Peter had a humility and desire to care for others that we rarely speak of. Yes, he assumed leadership and took charge, but he knew who was ultimately in charge. He asked Jesus to give him the power because he knew that he did not have power on his own. I guess it’s okay to have self doubts as long as we have no doubts in Jesus. That is what I pray for. I ask to trust You totally. I know that I am not very trustful, and that is a good trait in this sinful world, but it is a horrible trait for living in the kingdom of heaven. I pray to trust You to be You in every circumstance. I pray to trust You to love me. I pray to trust You to want the best for me. I pray to trust You that You won’t treat me like a lab rat training me with noncaring interest to act in a certain way. I pray to trust You that You are with me, not standing far off objectively observing my progress. I pray to know that You are with me always.