Page 6 - September 2024 - Truth & Tidings

t’s been said that the man who doesn’t he was energising and enlivening. At
make mistakes is the man who does sea he learned that the Lord Jesus was the
Inothing. Peter was known for his incarnate Creator. When his net was filled
flaws, but they were there precisely be- with a miraculous catch, he could only
cause he accomplished so much. confess, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful
Like Jacob, we meet him by a name man, O Lord” (Luk 5:8). The proud waves
sometimes linked with his old character, of Peter’s personality had to be humbled
Simon (Joh 1:42); but he was then called before the Lord called him to leave all
Cephas and slowly grew into his name. and serve Him. “God resisteth the proud,
He was a stone with rough edges but and giveth grace to the humble” (1Pe 5:5).
was shaped into a living boulder that was A carnal wave can wreak havoc, but a
foundational to the assembly (Mat 16:18). spiritual wave, humbled and directed by
The Lord said of Peter, “The spirit truly is Christ, can become tidal energy.
ready, but the flesh is weak” (Mar 14:38), Peter is to be commended for getting
1
and from the moment he was called to fol- out of the boat and walking on water (Mat
low Christ, Peter embarked on a journey 14:29). We see an aptitude for risk, raw
that would see him become a spiritual faith and initiative – commendable quali-
monolith. The sculptor’s hand had only ties – but these alone could not weather
to hack away the flesh first. the storm. As fear and doubt flooded
his soul on the lake, he learned that he
Water couldn’t keep himself in his own strength,
Many of the insights we have into Pe- but had to look to Christ for preserving
ter’s life are linked with water; he was a grace; he was “kept by the power of God
hardworking fisherman, after all. Peter through faith” (1Pe 1:5).
himself was at times like liquid in its Another aquatic lesson taught Peter the
raw form: a brute force, impulsive and principle of submission. A born leader,
unpredictable. However, put to right use, coupled with his spiritual privilege as
the son of a King (Mat 17:26), he might
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV. have thought he could do as he pleased.

262 TRUTH kTidings September 2024