Take Hold of His Hand

        My name is Peter, and I want to tell you a story about my wonderful Savior. I say “my”, but He might be your Savior too…which would make Him “ours”. Oh, if He is not your Savior he can be, he should be, he wants to be! Oh, He does! He does want to be, I know he does, for I heard Him say so! He said he came to save the world, the whole world-and he wants you to be His! 

This story begins one day when Jesus had just performed an amazing miracle! He had fed 5,000 people with just 5 little loaves of bread and 2 small fish. But that’s a story for another time. Well, I was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed with all those people around. And apparently Jesus felt the same way, because he went up into the mountain on his own. He would not let us come. Us being myself and the other disciples of Jesus. 

Since we could not go with Jesus, we decided to go out on our fishing boat. We spoke little as we prepared the boat for launch, each of us lost in our own thoughts. We left the shore and went far out into the Sea of Galilee. I spoke, breaking a long silence. “Did He tell any of you why He wouldn’t let us come? Or why He went up into that mountain by Himself?” Jesus often did things that I did not understand. 

“Look!” it was John who changed the subject so suddenly with his cry of alarm. “A storm is approaching!” Storms arose very quickly on the Sea of Galilee. Many times I have been in a terrible, sudden tempest on these waters. 

We tried hard to reach the shore before the storm arrived, but our efforts were in vain. The wind was violent and pushed us backwards more than we could go forward. The waves grew larger and larger, and splashed over the sides of our small vessel. The rain pounded down furiously, thunder cracked loudly, and lightning flashed close by. We were all praying as we rowed desperately toward the shore.  Then suddenly, I saw something- someone out in the sea! Actually, they were on the sea! Someone was walking on the water! I called the others. “Look out on the water! There is someone walking toward us!

 We were terrified! “It must be a spirit!” James cried. We were all rowing even harder, when the mysterious person spoke!

“Be of good cheer; it is I. Be not afraid!” 

“Master!?'' The cry of surprise came from John, James, and a few of the others. 

I wasn’t sure, so I called out. “Lord, if it be Thou, bid me to come unto thee on the water!” 

“Come.”

“Peter, are you mad?! Don’t do it! Peter, sit back down! You’re going to drown yourself! Sit down!” 

But, ignoring their cries, I got up, and stepped out of the boat. To my great surprise, the water felt solid as stone as I stepped out on it! I took a shaky step, but grew more confident as I looked into Jesus’ eyes and felt the firm water under my feet. 

But then, I felt a fresh gust of wind, and began to grow afraid. I looked away from Jesus, and felt the water give way under my feet! I fell into the water and began to sink down beneath the waves! I looked back at Jesus and cried, “Lord, save me!” And it was that simple! He immediately reached out to me, grasped my hand, and pulled me up again. And together, we walked back to the ship. 

There is more to my story, and more to Jesus’ story. But I will save that for another time. Right now, I want to show you this exciting, wonderful truth! 

I did not trust Jesus! I looked away from Him and grew afraid! But the second I turned to Him, as soon as I called out, immediately after I put my trust in Him and not in myself, the very moment I believed He could save me, He did! He reached out His hand to me and I took hold of his hand, and He lifted me up and saved me!! 

He will do the same for you! He is reaching out His hand to you right now. And the second you turn to Him, immediately after you put your trust in Him and not yourself, and the very moment you believe He can save you, HE WILL!!! He will reach out His hand to you and you should take hold of His hand and He will lift you up and save you! 

      Trust Him now, today! He is holding out His hand to you-Take Hold of His hand!