You may remember that Peter was one of the disciples that Jesus had chosen. He was not afraid to speak up or speak out, which sometimes got him into trouble and other times he was spot on.
One fine day he was in the boat with some of the disciples and they were going across the Sea of Galilee which could sometimes be very calm but at other times was whipped up into a frenzy by the winds coming down through the gap in the hills which surrounded the lake.
Matthew records this incident in Chapter 14. Jesus came alongside the boat, having walked on the water across the lake. The disciples thought it was a ghost and they were terrified. Jesus calmed them down by saying “Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid“
Peter then says, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.”
Jesus said, “Come.”
Peter was having an exciting time – he had never done this before – until he panicked when he saw what the wind was doing to the water.
This is where my story comes in.
I was brought up in a Christian home. I am the youngest of three boys. One day I said to my Mum,
“Is Richard going to heaven?”
“Yes” said Mum.
“Is Peter going to heaven?”
“Yes” said Mum.
I thought I was on to a winner here, so I confidently asked, “Am I going to heaven?”
I didn’t need to wait for the answer – I was sure it was going to be the same as for my two brothers.
What a shock I got when Mum looked at me and said, “I don’t know.”
How could she be so sure about them but not about me.
That set me thinking when, about three week later, we had a visiting speaker at the evening service at church and he talked about forgiveness.
That night, as I lay in bed, I started to cry.
My Dad came upstairs and asked what the problem was and I told him, “I am miserable because I haven’t asked Jesus to forgive my sin.”
Dad talked with me and then he told me the story of Peter in the Bible – here’s the link – Peter was afraid and sinking – so was I. He didn’t have much time to say anything. In fact, he had time to say three words – “Lord, save me .”
What did Jesus do? He ‘reached out His hand and caught him.’
Then Jesus and Peter got into the boat and Peter was safe.
That was my prayer that evening – “Lord save me.”
I didn’t have any flashing lights but I knew something had happened inside and I knew I was forgiven.
That was the start of my new Christian journey – good old Peter taught me a never-to-be-forgotten simple lesson about becoming a follower of Jesus.
Every time I read or hear this Bible story I am thankful to the Lord Jesus that, just as He reached out His hand and caught Peter, He did the same with me all those years ago on that Sunday evening. The Bible suddenly became a book I wanted to explore.
Then I knew I was going to heaven!
The Bible and Me 