Jesus helps you float

You're taking swimming lessons, and you're scared. You have to swim the whole pool to pass, and you don't think you can do it. What if you're too tired? What if you start to drown? What if you fail?

The Apostle Peter was just like you! He was okay when his teacher, Jesus, was standing there helping him -- but when Jesus asked him to do something on his own, Peter was scared to death. We hear about it in this week's Gospel (Matthew 14:22-33):

The Apostles were in a boat when they saw Jesus, walking across the water toward them! Peter yelled, "If that's really you, tell me to come to you." "Come," Jesus said. Peter jumped out and walked on the water to Jesus, but he got scared and sank. Jesus caught him and said, "You don't have much faith. Why did you doubt?" He brought Peter to the boat, and all the Apostles worshipped Jesus.

When it's time for a swimming test, you feel really scared. You look at that long pool, and all you think is, "I'll never make it all the way across!"

That's how Peter was, too. When Jesus held him up, he could even walk on water. But when Peter thought, "People can't walk on water without sinking!" he got scared and forgot about Jesus' help.

A swimming test isn't as hard as it looks, if you only think about what you're doing right now: moving your arms and kicking your legs, over and over. All of a sudden, you'll be at the end of the pool!

That's what Jesus wanted Peter to learn: Just keep your eyes on what God asks you to do right now, and don't worry about whether it's crazy or you sink a little. God will get you where you need to go -- walking across a lake, or swimming to the end of the pool!

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK: Jesus, help me to just think about what you ask me to do right now, and let you worry about the future! Amen.

(08-05-99)