Get out of the Boat!

"'Lord if it's you,' Peter replied, 'tell me to come to you on the water.' 'Come,' he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out. 'Lord, save me!' Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. 'You of little faith,' he said, 'why did you doubt ?'" Matthew 14:28-31

I read this passage and completely understand how Peter could have been so frightened by the raging sea, waves, and storm around him. I also understand that he was in the present of JESUS and I often wonder what made him doubt. I would like to believe that I would have walked right out to Jesus and just stayed out with Him until we were good and ready to get back in the boat...but then I remember that I am human, just as Peter was, and I cannot say for sure what I would have done. I think sometimes we want something so badly and the Lord wants to give it to us. He basically tells us to "get out of the boat" and He will take care of everything if we just have faith. Why, then, do we step out on faith and end up sinking into the water when we doubt what we know to be true? We know that the Lord is going to take care of us. It may not be exactly the way that we thought, but He will never let one of His children drown in the sea on which we are sailing! In these tough times, it is easy to become fearful for our livelihood and our family. But God is going to take care of us and provide everything that we need as long as we keep our eyes on Him and our faith remains strong.