Wednesday, 3 December 2025
But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” Matthew 14:30
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“And seeing the forcible wind, he feared, and having begun to submerge, he croaked, saying, ‘Lord, You save me!’” (CG).
In the previous verse, Peter came down from the boat and commenced walking to Jesus. Matthew next records, “And seeing the forcible wind, he feared.”
It is the standard error that believers find themselves in to this day. What does it take to see the forcible wind? Follow the sequence of events:
Jesus: “You embolden! I, I am! You fear not!”
Peter: “Lord, if You – You are – You command me to come to You upon the waters.”
Jesus: “And He said, “You come!”
Peter: He walked upon the waters to come unto Jesus.
Peter: And seeing the forcible wind.
Jesus is the Object. Peter sees Jesus and petitions Him. Jesus directs Peter to come. Peter comes, looking at Jesus. Peter… takes his eyes off Jesus, “and having begun to submerge, he croaked.”
A new word is seen here, katapontizó, to plunge down, and thus to submerge. It is derived from kata, down against, and the same root as the area known as Pontus found in Acts 2:9 and 1 Peter 1:1. This word will only be seen again in Matthew 18:6.
Peter got distracted from what is most important. Jesus was the target to obtain. In allowing the distractions to take his eyes off the goal, his attention was likewise distracted. With his attention distracted, he was no longer mentally focused on what allowed him to walk on the water in the first place. Because of this, he cried out, “saying, ‘Lord, You save me!’”
Again, it is the standard response believers make in hopes of correcting their own blunders to this day: Believer is focused on Jesus. Believer takes his eyes off of Jesus and gets caught up in an infraction of the law, a particular sin, etc. Believer is now in a bad, bad pickle, finding no way of fixing his own slip-up. And so, believer croaks in his soul and to Jesus, “Help me! Help me, Lord Jesus!”
Life application: One of the most important thoughts for believers recorded in the New Testament is found in the first few words of Hebrews 12:2 –
“Eyeballing unto the ‘the faith Pioneer and Perfecter,’ Jesus” (CG). Scholars repeatedly say that Peter’s error was a lack of faith. And it is true that Jesus will call him ‘little-faithed’ in the next verse. But Peter had faith, even if it was little. That was not the immediate problem. Rather, Peter took his eyes off of the Object of his faith.
The pastor who has been faithfully preaching to his congregation for many years may have amazing faith, but when he meets with a woman for counseling, his eyes may be misdirected from Jesus. At such a time, calamity may be just around the corner. It happened to David, and none of us is above such a lapse of judgment.
Along with Hebrews 12:2, Hebrews 3:1 says, “Thence, holy brothers – heavenly calling participants, you scrutinize the Apostle and High Priest, our confession, Jesus!”
We are not just to look in the direction of Jesus, we are to eyeball Him and to scrutinize Him, mentally considering Him at all times. When we fail to do this, we begin to sink into the troubled seas around us. In 1 Chronicles 29, David, a man who understood what it meant to take his eyes off the Lord and to sink into sin, petitioned the Lord for just this type of determination for His flock –
“O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and fix their heart toward You.”
Should we have any less of a heart? If not, then let us pray for such fixed determination. And while we are asking for our own strength, let us remember our fellow believers, those in our church, our pastors and teachers, and anyone else who comes to mind.
May we learn to direct our attention to Jesus, always remembering the sacred words of Scripture, “Eyeballing unto the ‘the faith Pioneer and Perfecter,’ Jesus” (CG). Nothing else will do. All else will lead to a sad set of circumstances that may jeopardize our lives, our relationships, and our witness for the Lord Jesus.
Lord God, we are weak and frail creatures who need to constantly focus our hearts and souls on You. We should always scrutinize Jesus as if looking over the finest gem or most beautiful flower, considering every detail of His majesty. Help us to be focused on Him at all times. In this, we will be in the right frame of mind to handle all challenges we face. Amen.