God really spoke to me through it this week though Matthew 14:22-31, the recount of Jesus and Peter walking on water. I've read this story dozens of times now, but as I started to take on new roles at Westside Hamilton, and looking ahead to transitioning out of school, this passage took on new meaning for me this week.
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
"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?"
First thing I want to share is that these impossible things that God calls us to do, these impossible situations that sometimes we get ourselves into, they are not tests of your faith, or at least not tests as you and I know them. If it were really a test, Jesus would've said to Peter "oooooooh, not enough faith, guess you're cut Pete, sorry." No, he immediately picked Peter back up. When God allows these situations in your life, it's not a test in the sense that you're screwed if you fail, he'll always be there to pull you out; that none of these failures will be, or were meant to be, fatal.
But more important to notice is that, what was Peter doing between the time he stepped out, and when he started to drown? He WALKED on water. Think about that for a sec, he WALKED on liquid, STORMY liquid at that. I'm barely a decent swimmer, never mind walker on water, I can't even imagine how awesome that would've been.
Jesus didn't call Peter out, he didn't call us out, to test our faith; as if to show us what our faith can and cannot do. He knows that our faith is small, he knows that we'll fall short, he knows that our walk with him isn't going to be one success after the other. His whole point is that between the time you take that first step out, and when you inevitably fall down, you get to be miraculous. That for those momentary struggles, for those fews gulps of salty water you take in, you get to walk on water for bit. When Peter remembers this event, what do you think he remembered most? Struggling to swim? Or do you think he remembered walking on water?
Do you fear your lack of faith? So much so that you don't even want to step out anymore, that you start saying to yourself "I know I'm going to drown out there". Don't let your amount of faith become a anxiety-causing performance indicator in your walk with God; that you think you have enough faith to accomplish this or you think you're much too lacking in faith to do that . Do you realize that God knows you don't have enough faith? He says in Matthew 17:20 that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed we can move mountains. Since I'm not seeing many mountains moving, it's pretty safe to say that God knows that our faith is small. Do you know that when God calls you to do something outrageously supernatural, he knows you don't have what it takes, but he just wants you to see yourself, by his power, walking on water?
I don't know what crazy hard things God has called you to do, maybe it's to take on a new ministry, maybe it's to take on less ministry. Maybe it's to go invest in your old church, maybe it's to leave your old church. To reach old friends, or to reach new people.....I don't know. But step out, go for it, knowing that your faith is too small, knowing that you'll fall short, but most of all, knowing that, for however long you manage, you'll be walking on water.
But more important to notice is that, what was Peter doing between the time he stepped out, and when he started to drown? He WALKED on water. Think about that for a sec, he WALKED on liquid, STORMY liquid at that. I'm barely a decent swimmer, never mind walker on water, I can't even imagine how awesome that would've been.
Jesus didn't call Peter out, he didn't call us out, to test our faith; as if to show us what our faith can and cannot do. He knows that our faith is small, he knows that we'll fall short, he knows that our walk with him isn't going to be one success after the other. His whole point is that between the time you take that first step out, and when you inevitably fall down, you get to be miraculous. That for those momentary struggles, for those fews gulps of salty water you take in, you get to walk on water for bit. When Peter remembers this event, what do you think he remembered most? Struggling to swim? Or do you think he remembered walking on water?
Do you fear your lack of faith? So much so that you don't even want to step out anymore, that you start saying to yourself "I know I'm going to drown out there". Don't let your amount of faith become a anxiety-causing performance indicator in your walk with God; that you think you have enough faith to accomplish this or you think you're much too lacking in faith to do that . Do you realize that God knows you don't have enough faith? He says in Matthew 17:20 that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed we can move mountains. Since I'm not seeing many mountains moving, it's pretty safe to say that God knows that our faith is small. Do you know that when God calls you to do something outrageously supernatural, he knows you don't have what it takes, but he just wants you to see yourself, by his power, walking on water?
I don't know what crazy hard things God has called you to do, maybe it's to take on a new ministry, maybe it's to take on less ministry. Maybe it's to go invest in your old church, maybe it's to leave your old church. To reach old friends, or to reach new people.....I don't know. But step out, go for it, knowing that your faith is too small, knowing that you'll fall short, but most of all, knowing that, for however long you manage, you'll be walking on water.
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