Surf's Up!

Imagine it: the sun reflects off the water and warms your back. You taste the salt on your lips. Your limbs are tight with the effort of paddling and trying to hang ten. Or even hang five. If you're a newbie, or a "Barney", shooting a barrel can be difficult.

Mastering the lingo is another story.

I've never been surfing. I don't particularly like the beach. My life, nevertheless, has been filled with waves, and I daresay yours has been, too.

The Apostle Peter had some waves, too. We can read the story in Matthew 14, starting with verse 22. The traditional lessons garnered from these verses deal with faith -- both the fact that Peter's faith wavered and the fact that he had faith enough to get out of the boat at all. Commentators tell us we, too, should have faith enough to step out of the boat.

True.

But I want to talk about the waves. Matthew 14:24: But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary.

Do you ever feel like the winds are contrary? Wind is supposed to push you forward, fill your sails. Too often, our lives are filled with contrary winds. Hurricane strength or not, they tumble us and turn us and tear us apart.

Amidst the wind and waves, they saw Jesus approaching and were afraid, "But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”'(14:27) It's at this point that Peter decides to take a chance. Jesus calls, and he gets out of the boat to walk on the waves. Then he sees the waves and begins to sink.

If it's not sacrilegious to say so, I think Peter did the wrong thing. He shouldn't have tried to walk on the waves. He should have torn a piece off the boat, waxed it, and shot the barrel.

Because even the world's best surfers need waves.

The next time the waves kick up, instead of walking on the water, shore up your courage and live the adventure: ride the waves.