Before I leap into this new piece, I’m going to reflect on last week’s “Pelican Man” (still available in the archives section). A couple of nights after “Pelican Man” went up, I had a dream. I was swimming in the Gulf and having a really great time. All of a sudden the sky darkened, I heard the rapid beating of wings, I looked up and here came a 3,000 pound pelican! He swooped on down, opened his gigantic mouth and scooped me up in one motion! I have no idea what the dream meant, but wanted you to know about it!

Now let’s leap into “Peter, Peter, Big Wave Eater”! In recent E-mail correspondence with my poetess sister (we “adopted” each other a year ago), Gayle, we got on the subject of Peter. You know Peter, don’t you? He was impetuous, impulsive, and hyper at times! Yet there’s something kinda likeable about him.

If you read the 14th chapter of Matthew, you’ll find the beheading of John, the feeding of approximately 12,000 people, and the attempt by Jesus to get off by Himself, away from the crowds. He sent the disciples across the lake by boat. When far from land, the wind piled wave upon wave. Jesus began walking across the water to assist them (v. 25). The disciples thought He was a ghost. Finally, Peter said, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.”

Most of us know the rest of the story. He climbed out of the boat and began walking on the water, just like Jesus! After a brief stroll, he saw the wind. I’m not quite sure how he “saw” the wind, but it says he did! Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. After a brief comment about his lack of faith, Jesus and Peter climbed into the boat.

That’s pretty much the story. Most of my life I’ve heard sermons based on this story. Nearly all the sermons I’ve heard focused on what a miserable, wimpy, faithless guy Peter was. Why, if he’d just kept his eyes on Jesus, he wouldn’t have sunk beneath the waves. If he’d just had more faith, he would have succeeded.

Peter certainly wasn’t perfect. I’ll give you that. But, let me ask you a very important question. Why was Peter the only one who had enough faith to even get out of the boat in the first place? All the other disciples cowered in the boat. Only Peter had the “intestinal fortitude” to head for Jesus. I know Jesus asked why he doubted and mentioned that he had “little faith”. My point is that at least he had a little bit of faith. He made the effort. He tried.

Here is Gayle Moody’s poem.

Doubts piled high. Waves of fear.
Winds to blow my faith around.
Am I trusting in Jesus, Who’s walking so near?
If I’m not, I’m sure to be drowned.

But, there’s no way I’ll get out of my safe little boat
And walk on the water to Him!
Doesn’t He know He must keep me afloat?
Can’t He see that it really is grim?

Walk on the water like Peter? No way!
Why, those waves are over my head!
I’m floundering now without walking away.
Without help, I will shortly be dead.

Hey, wait! That’s the answer! I’m dead where I am.
If I sit here, I’m bound to go under.
Oh, Jesus! Are You in the midst of the storm?
I need to hear You through the wind and the thunder.

Help me, Lord Jesus. I need to see You
With a faith that will ever be strong.
I can walk through these storms with my heart set on You.
Lord, I’m weak, but to You I belong.

(used with my sister’s permission)

My next-to-last last observation to Gayle was this: when a large ship is tied up at the dock, anyone can go to the bridge and turn the wheel. Nothing will happen. Nobody can steer a ship that’s tied to the dock! Only when the ship is in motion does the steering wheel have any function. Do you want to turn left? Do you want to turn right? Untie the ropes and leave the safety of the dock. Start toward your destination. Risk making mistakes, thus demonstrating your lack of perfect faith. Endure the loving correction of the Lord. In the end, I’ll take Peter with all his flaws over all the other disciples who risked nothing and stayed in the boat.

My last observation was: Hey, maybe there’s an “Inside Out” piece in all of this!

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