Daily Devotional For Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Good morning Southside and thank you for taking time to spend some time with the Lord today. We are making our way through the Gospel of Matthew and today we pick up where we left off yesterday. Look at Matthew 14:22-36:
“Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that His disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while He sent the people home. (23) After sending them home, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. Night fell while He was there alone. (24) Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. (25) About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. (26) When the disciples saw Him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, ‘It’s a ghost!’ (27) But Jesus spoke to them at once. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ He said. ‘Take courage. I am here!’ (28) Then Peter called to Him, ‘Lord, if it’s really You, tell me to come to You, walking on the water.” (29) ‘Yes, come,’ Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. (30) But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. ‘Save me, Lord!’ he shouted. (31) Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. ‘You have so little faith,’ Jesus said. ‘Why did you doubt Me?’ (32) When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. (33) Then the disciples worshiped Him. ‘You really are the Son of God!’ they exclaimed. (34) After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. (35) When the people recognized Jesus, the news of His arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. (36) They begged Him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of His robe, and all who touched Him were healed” (NLT).
We have been breaking this story down into parts so that we can look at it in depth. Today, we start with verse 28 and Peter’s miraculous walk on the sea in the midst of a violent and turbulent storm. I do not think Peter was putting Jesus to the test, something we are forbidden to do (see Matt. 4:7). I believe of all the disciples, Peter was the only one willing to step out in faith if Jesus invited him. Being impulsive, Peter’s request allowed him to experience the power of God in a way he never had. The key here for me is Peter only asked to be able to do what Jesus Himself was doing. Peter’s faith was strong enough to cause him to walk on the water, but not strong enough to keep him walking on the water.
As long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, he walked on top of the water, but just as soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus, he immediately began to sink in the water. He looked around and saw in the darkness of the night through lightning he was in a horrible, terrible and life-threatening storm. In the end, his faith did not hold up during this storm. Peter started out with good intentions, but that is not enough. Peter’s faltering faith reveals to us the pathway for discipleship. And as he began to sink he cried out to the only one who was still walking on the water and who could save him – Jesus.
Jesus’ question to Peter, “Why did you doubt Me? He asks us today as well. Faith generates power and without it, we cannot please God (see Heb. 11:6). When we have Jesus, why would we depend on anything else or anyone else to help us? Peter’s doubt became his downfall. Peter’s situation became his sinking. When they got in the boat, I imagine all the other disciples were speechless seeing Peter do this and seeing Jesus calm the storm. One of the proofs that someone was the Messiah was His mastery over nature (See Isa. 51:9-16). Once in the boat, they went from worrying to worshipping Jesus. R. A Torrey who died in 1928, wrote a book titled, How To Pray, writes this: “The first result of walking with God is great joy, abounding joy, and secondly, a great sense of security, of abiding peace.”
So, when they landed on shore they landed at Gennesaret. This was a small fertile plain located on the west side of the Sea of Galilee, as well as the name of a small town there. Capernaum sat at the northern edge of this plain. Jesus and His reputation for healing was well-known and unlike Nazareth, He was welcomed and received (see Matt. 13:54-58). There would be no rest for Him. Jewish men’s robes had tassels that hung down from them at the bottom in keeping with the law in Deuteronomy 22:12. It was these tassels people were hoping to touch as the woman did with the 12-year issue of hemorrhaging in Matthew 9:20. This took place around the Sea of Galilee. It is possible after her healing that she told people, “All I did was touch the tassels hanging from the hem of His robe and was immediately healed.”
There are some people who say Jesus no longer heals today due to the advancement in medicine over the last 2,000 years. Some people say “yes” and therefore they refuse all medical help today. We do know that Luke was a doctor in his day and nowhere does the Bible condemn him or suggest his services were no longer needed. My advice – used both.
Assignment: Put yourself in Peter’s position. What storm in either your past or currently is Jesus asking you to get out of your “boat” and come walk towards Him in your storm? Peter often gets criticized for sinking in the waves and sea due to his lack of faith, but he was the only one of the disciples in the boat willing to attempt that step of faith. Who in the past have you criticized for taking such a step of faith? Did you mock them? Make fun of them and now after reading this story, has your opinion changed at all? If so, how and why?
Scripture To Meditate On: Mark 9:23b, “Jesus asked. ‘Anything is possible if a person believes’” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Lord, I really want to be a person of faith. I want to walk by faith, not sight, even on and through all the storms of life. I know that if I am going to “walk on water,” I have to get out of the boat. Help me keep my eyes on You, not the storm. Please forgive me if I have criticized others for taking such a step of faith with You. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly