from a steadfast gaze of faith
upon Christ spells disaster.

What happened to Peter when he began to look at the boisterous wind?
You know. He began to sink. Peter sinking right in the presence of
Christ,--that is pathetic. He can help nobody now. He could not have
saved his own child if he had been there. Unbelievers seated smugly in
the boat said, "Ah! I thought so. I knew something like that would
happen." I do not know that Peter would ever have noticed the
boisterous wind unless somebody had called his attention to it. I can
imagine Thomas might have shouted to Peter and said, "Look out, Peter.
There comes a tremendous wave." Anyway, Peter is sinking.

Did you ever have that experience? Do you know what it is to feel that
soul sickening sensation that comes to one who is sinking? Do you know
what it means to be losing your grip on God, losing your power in
prayer, losing your grip of things spiritual? Did you ever sink? Are
you sinking to-day? I think I know something of the experience of
Peter. I have an idea that you know something of it.

Young man, away from home for the first time, are you sinking? Little
by little are you giving up your faith? Little by little are you
flinging away the fine ideals that were the strength of your earlier
years? Young woman, are you sinking? Business man, cumbered with many
cares, living your life in the thick of the fight, are you keeping
straight and clean or are you losing your vision? Are you sinking?
What was the matter with Lot in Sodom? He led a sinking life. That
was it and it cost him every one that was dear to him. It will prove
expensive to you. Oh, Christian worker, you will not count as long as
you are living a defeated and failing and sinking life.

But even in his failure Peter has a message for us. In his defeat he
is his own straightforward, sincere and honest self. When Peter
realized that he was sinking he did not try to conceal the matter. He
did not say, "I'll fight it out in my own strength." He threw himself
at once on the infinite strength of Christ. He prayed. That was a
wise thing. That was a big and manly thing. Peter prayed. Have you
forgotten the art?

And listen to that prayer. It was white hot with earnestness. "Lord,
save me." It is short, too. Notice that. When you do not want
anything, when you have no burden, when you are careless and
indifferent and listless, you can get down on your knees and pour o