The verse anchor
"And Peter went down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus."
Matthew 14:29 · King James Bible
The story
One evening, Jesus sent his disciples across the Sea of Galilee in a boat. He stayed behind to pray, alone, on a mountain.
In the middle of the night the wind came up strong. The waves grew big. The boat was tossed about, far from land. The disciples were tired and afraid.
Then, in the darkest part of the night, they saw something moving on the water. It came closer and closer. It looked like a person — walking on top of the waves!
The disciples cried out in fear. "It is a spirit!" they shouted.
But it was not a spirit. It was Jesus. He called out to them, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."
Then Peter, one of the disciples, said, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water."
Jesus said one word: "Come."
Peter climbed out of the boat. He put one foot on the sea. Then the other. The water held him up. He was walking — walking on the water — toward Jesus.
But then Peter looked around. He saw the huge waves. He heard the wind roaring. He got scared. And the moment he was afraid, he began to sink.
Peter cried out: "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him. He said, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"
They both got into the boat. And the wind stopped. The disciples came and worshipped Jesus, saying, "Of a truth thou art the Son of God."
One thing we learn
When Peter looked at Jesus, he walked on water. When he looked at the waves, he started to sink. Life is like that. Look at Jesus first, and last, and always.
Memory verse
"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God."
Isaiah 41:10 · KJV
Say it three times before bed. In seven days you will know it forever.
A prayer
Lord Jesus, when the waves are big,
help me keep my eyes on you.
And when I begin to sink,
catch me quickly, like you caught Peter.
Amen.
Beneath the story · for grown-ups
To walk further with the household: