“[Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid and began sinking.” ~ Matthew 14:30
The air smelled of salt and warm
pine needles, a heavy fragrance that usually brought peace. But for Randall,
the breeze only carried the tide’s annoying slap against the dock’s wooden
pilings—a countdown to tomorrow's scuba check-off dive. Ever since the accident
two years ago that took his lower leg, Randall had mastered the art of managing
control.
His posture stayed rigid as turquoise shallows dropped into
a navy-blue void. Behind him, camp laughter felt a world away.
From the shore below, his
instructor Marcus walked up the gravel path and joined him, not rushing to fill
the silence. He’d seen that fear in enough teenagers over the years to know
when a physical excuse was guarding a deeper wound.
"Water's supposed to be like glass tomorrow,"
Marcus said quietly. "Perfect for your dive."
Randall fixed his gaze ahead, wincing as his prosthetic heel
clicked against the wood. Let Marcus think his leg was the issue.
Marcus turned. "Is the leg really holding you back,
Randall, or is it something else?"
The silence stretched between them.
Marcus stayed quiet, keeping his stance relaxed until
Randall finally opened up.
"The truth is, I can swim," Randall
swallowed hard. "I can float. But out there, you can't see the bottom.
There's nothing to grab onto. If you panic, there's just... nothing."
Marcus nodded. “It’s terrifying to feel like you've lost
control. But remember the story of Peter walking on the water? He didn't sink
because of the depth; he sank because he forgot Jesus was right there with
him."
Then, offering a reassuring smile: "Just trust the
person diving with you."
Marcus stepped beside him, offering a steady hand. "You
don't have to conquer the whole ocean today. Trust me... and don’t forget to
breathe."
Randall stepped cautiously past the shallows until he
floated into the deep blue. Remembering the night before, he closed his eyes
and whispered a silent prayer, "Father, steady my heart, I know You've
got me." Then he adjusted his mask and placed the regulator between
his teeth.
Marcus's hand closed firmly around his wrist. Randall
exhaled a stream of bubbles, letting go of the desperate need to grip the
surface as he and Marcus began sinking downward. And for the first time, the
vastness beneath him didn't feel like an abyss waiting to swallow him—it felt
open, wide, and entirely held by Grace.
Lord, when life leads us into deep waters
where we can’t see the bottom, help us keep our eyes on You instead of the
waves around us. Steady our hearts when fear whispers louder than faith, and
remind us that we are never beyond Your reach. Amen
