You remember the first time after the feeding of the five thousand, when Jesus sent the disciples ahead. They got into a boat and started across the lake. Jesus went to pray. But then a storm came across the waters, the waves battered the boat, and the disciples were afraid. Yet Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.

While the other disciples got scared, Peter blurted out, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." Jesus said, "Come." Peter stepped out of the boat, and as long as he focused all his attention on Jesus, he walked upon the waters. Then he noticed the wind that frightened him and he began to sink. "Lord, save me," he cried.

Here I have the picture of Peter a short distance away from Jesus. As he began to sink, he started swimming. I hope this doesn't strain the text too much but, as I let it speak to me, this passage gave me that image: Peter swimming between the boat and his Lord. So I asked the question, "Which way would I have swam?" Back to the security of what was? At least the boat was still afloat. Or would I have swam in faith toward Jesus? Peter swam, and frantically I think, toward Jesus who caught him and confronted him -- and loved him still.

Peter may have doubted his own faith ability to keep walking but he never doubted Jesus' faithfulness to save. I think brother Simon Peter learned an undergirding lesson that day. He learned that when it's either sink or swim, swim -- and swim toward Jesus. It's a faith lesson that even if he or we sink in our doubt, despairing, or disappointment, swim toward Jesus. He is always there.

Remember the way the hymn writer expressed it?

I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more, But the master of the sea heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me, now safe am I.2

The hymn will serve us well if we remember a couple of correctives. The shore is not always peaceful. If we are sinking, we can rise. And, yes, the Master will lift us to safety, but there will be other unsafe waters. Peter knew it.

He knew it because there were other times when he would sink. Even after that miraculous evidence of the faithfulness of Christ lifting Peter from his faithlessness, Peter still questioned, argued with, even denied his Lord. But he kept coming back. He kept swimming toward Jesus.

After his denial he went back to the upper room with the disciples. He could have thought it was the end and followed Judas to the place where Judas hanged himself. Peter could have given up completely. But he didn't. When the women told them on Easter morning that the tomb was empty, that Christ was alive, Peter ran with John to the tomb. They wanted to see for themselves.

Peter was there when Jesus appeared to seven of the disciples later that day. They were out fishing and were as frustrated as a parishioner whose pastor doesn't know how to fish. No fish after a night's casting, but just after daybreak they heard a cry from the shore.