Have you ever known what it is to be in trouble, and then, all in a moment the trouble has gone, and instead you have been filled with joy and gladness? It was like that with Peter and Andrew and the other disciples the night after Jesus fed the five thousand.
They were on the sea a long way from the shore, tossed on the waves, and toiling in rowing because the wind was contrary; it was dark, and Jesus was not with them. And then, in the fourth watch of the night, the last before daybreak, after they had been toiling all through the weary hours, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing near to their boat, and they thought it was a spirit, and cried out for fear.
But Jesus spoke to them at once. He said, “Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid.”
Every bit of fear went from Peter’s heart at the sound of that voice, and he answered, “Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.” Jesus said, “Come.” And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water to go to Jesus.
But when Peter took his eye off Jesus and looked at the wind and waves, fear came back; he was afraid, and he began to sink. “And beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.”
He did not say, “Lord, help me,” because he needed more than helping, he needed saving; and he did not say a long prayer, or one he had learnt by heart, he had not time for that; he just cried to Jesus, “Lord, save me,” and at once Jesus stretched forth His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
“And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.” “And immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.”
You may be quite sure Peter never forgot that night, and he could never forget that hand stretched out to save him. He had seen it many times stretched out in healing and blessing others, but that night he knew its loving mighty grasp, a grasp that saved from death, for it is a grasp that is stronger than death.
Have you ever prayed Peter’s prayer? Do you know what it is to be one of those of whom Jesus said, “They shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all: and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand.”
What a loving Saviour Jesus is! He let those mighty hands of His be nailed to the cross for Peter and for you and for me, when He bore “our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness” (1 Peter 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)).