After storms and demons and healings and lots and lots of people, Jesus was eager for some peace and quiet. So he sent the crowds back home and sent the disciples into another boat. The plan was for Jesus to catch up with the disciples on the other side of the lake. But first he wanted time by himself to pray.

Later that evening, Jesus looked out across the lake and saw that the disciples were a long way from land. But not as far away as they should have been. It was a very windy night, and their boat was having a hard time making it through the waves.

So in the wee hours of the morning—when it was still dark and no one was getting up for school or heading out to work—Jesus decided to go help the disciples. But he didn’t take a boat. He didn’t parachute from a plane. He didn’t swim from the shore. He decided to walk.

On the water!

When the disciples saw someone coming, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they cried. They were very scared. And who can blame them? This water wasn’t frozen, and Jesus didn’t have ice skates. He was walking on the water as though it were his own personal sidewalk.

“Take heart,” Jesus said. “It’s me. Don’t be afraid.”

Peter believed it was Jesus. “Lord,” he said, “if you tell me to, I’ll come to you on the water.”

So Jesus said, “Come.”

Peter got out of the boat and dipped his toe into the water. Or, on the water, really. He was standing on the water, just like Jesus. As he started walking to Jesus, Peter felt the wind and saw the waves. Once again, he was afraid. He started to sink and called out to Jesus. “Lord, save me!”

Jesus reached down and pulled Peter out of the water. Peter was wet, and probably a little embarrassed, but he was going to be okay.

“You should have kept on believing,” Jesus said to Peter. “Why did you doubt?”

Peter was pretty brave to get out of the boat. But like a lot of us, it’s hard to be brave when it looks like we might drown. Jesus wanted the disciples to know that they could always count on him and always turn to him. Sometimes it’s hard to believe in Jesus. But trusting in Jesus, no matter what, is the smartest and safest thing we can do.

When Jesus got into the boat, the wind stopped. The disciples still didn’t have Jesus figured out. They still had a lot to learn. They still were going to get a lot of things wrong. But they knew this was no ordinary man. They fell at his feet, saying, “You really are the Son of God.”