Walking on Water

In one of my favorite stories of the New Testament, Peter (an apostle) wanted to approach Christ on the water. Jesus's answer—like His invitation to all of us—was "Come."  Then Bible reads, "And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus" (Matthew 14:29). 

Peter walked on water! For a few minutes, Peter was able to do the impossible (Matthew 14:30). About this account, Madeline L'Engle has said,

“Peter was able to walk on the water until he remembered he didn’t know how” (Walking on Water).

None of us know how to walk on water. None of us know how to reach our great potential. However, Christ doesn't expect us to do it alone; he invites us to walk with him (Moses 6:31-34). To do that, we need to forget ourselves and our own weaknesses.

I cling to Christ's patience with Peter—how He "immediately stretched forth his hand, and caught him" (Matthew 14:31). Rather than chastisement, the question "wherefore didst thou doubt?" sounds like an expression of love and an answer to the desperate plea of another man: "Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief" (Mark 9:24; see also Lord, I Believe). Christ will always answer us with mercy and will make us whole. I love what Patricia T. Holland has said:

"When Jesus called Peter to come to Him across the water, Peter, for one brief, glorious moment, forgot he did not know how and strode with ease across the sea. This is how we are meant to be" (Walking on Water).

We are meant to stride across the water, full of faith and perfected in Christ (Moroni 10:32).