Physics fail!

Matthew 14:30
But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

I can’t swim; that’s a fact. I know that if I jump into a pool or a lake I’m going to sink. The thing about my sinking is this: it’s instantaneous. When I break the surface of the water that’s it. There’s no time delay before I go down. I know this for a fact; I have actually had to jump into the water. I went straight to the bottom. Even when I wasn’t jumping into the water, when I just casually stepped into the water, I sank. Instantly.

I guess what I’m leading up to here is the miracle of Peter’s sinking. That’s right, his sinking. We all know it was a miracle that he walked to Jesus on the water, but have you ever put any thought into what happened when he took his focus off of Christ? Oh, most will tell you, “He sank,” but that’s not true. The Bible says that Peter began to sink.

Who “begins” to sink? You’re either sinking or you’re not! Well, not so, according to the Word of God. Peter began to sink. If you’ve never really thought about this, do it now. It paints a picture in my mind of a man slowly sinking, as if he’s standing on top of a lake of Jell-o. It just doesn’t look right, does it? Peter should have instantly gone down. He should have been overcome by the waves.

The way Peter sinks in this story is a small picture of God’s unending patience and love for us. God never wants us to be submerged under the problems of this life; He doesn’t want us to be overcome by the waves. It was His grace, extended after Peter took his eyes off Christ, that allowed Peter to begin sinking; it was grace that kept Peter from becoming fully submerged.

This small exchange between sinner and Savior speaks volumes to the truth about God’s grace. When Peter sinned, that is, he took his focus off of Jesus, grace saved (Romans 5:20). It was grace that slowed the forces of nature acting on Peter’s body to pull him into the deep. It was grace that allowed Peter to reach up his hand and call out for help from Jesus. It was grace that extended the hand that pulled Peter up to the level of his Lord.

This is how grace works! When you begin to sink, when you backslide, grace slows you down to protect you from death. Grace always reaches out the hand of salvation. Grace always restores. Grace always brings you back to the level of Jesus. Grace never keeps you in the situation you put yourself in. Whether it’s sinking in the Sea of Galilee or in a case of Mad Dog 20/20, grace will grab you and lift you up to the level of your Savior.

Grace saves without condemnation (Romans 8:1). It keeps no record of wrongs. It protects, it shelters, it rescues, and it restores. Grace overcomes death. It overcomes storms, winds, and adversity. Grace walks you to safety, places you in the boat, and reveals Jesus for who He is: the Son of God (Matthew 14:33). Grace requires nothing, but it gives everything. It is by grace you are saved through faith...it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).