A very familiar passage about Jesus walking on water and Peter getting out of the boat. Now, I've grown up in church so I've heard this passage preached a million times in different ways, but drawing the same point. Mainly about getting out of our "boat"or our "comfort zones" if we want to do the impossible and get to Jesus. It is right on.
But this morning as the Spirit spoke, I was drawn to Peter's words:
"Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
Peter was known to put his foot in his mouth. He was the bolder one who would speak things without thinking first and would inevitably and continuously be corrected by the Lord. I mean, to the point where Peter tried to hinder Jesus from going to the cross and was sharply rebuked by Jesus with a "get behind me Satan." I don't know about you, but I would NEVER want to hear the Lord tell me that.
But in this case, he is commendable. He looks out, along with the other disciples, and sees something scary. It looked like a ghost. It was someone walking towards them ON WATER, in the dark, with the winds against him, at three or four in the morning. I'd be petrified, too. As soon as Peter realizes that this may be Jesus, he expresses his desire to go TOWARDS what is terrifying and in a way that only the Lord could enable. Walking on water.
I love that what is frightening suddenly becomes so intriguing because Jesus is there.
Here we are in this boat that represents safety and comfort, surrounded by others like ourselves. But there, in the winds, in the dark, above the elements which would normally cause us to sink, is Jesus. And man, does that boat look terribly dull. Knowing that Jesus is out in the scary and unknown makes staying in that boat scarier. It's the fear we feel when we're stuck in the same place just because we know nothing different or are unwilling to step into the unknown. The fear of being like a mouse in a wheel. Running and getting nowhere. When we look at it like that, we see that it should be more terrifying to STAY in the boat.
But beyond this, again, I am drawn to Peter's request. In his bold spontaneuity, he doesn't immediately climb out of the boat and run to Jesus. He calls upon Him and asks for Him to give the word.
Yes, God Himself had orchestrated this moment. But it came from Peter to request the command. He waited to hear the Lord speak and only then did he act. He saw what He could do--namely, the impossible--for the Lord and yet asked for Him to speak a word.
Jesus said, "Come."
Is it any surprise that Jesus would command that which is most difficult, most impossible and most challenging to his faith?
Is it any surprise that Jesus would command that which would put this kind of faith and dependence on display for others to see and give glory to Him?
Not at all. This is the Master I've come to know.
Sometimes the hardest word is, "stay."
Sometimes the hardest word is, "wait."
Regardless of what He commands, however, it is HIS will that we want. It is what HE knows is best that will lead us to more of Him and more souls to be added to the Kingdom of Heaven. It is HIS word that we must wait for.
But not passively.
Like Peter, we must see Him in the danger and say "please Lord...here am I....send me....give the command...say the word...."
I reflected this morning on how He called me to India for this season. I can remember reading about this precious people. I remember looking out of my boat and seeing Jesus in the darkest, stormiest of places, conquering all natural elements to bring glory to the Father and salvation to those who would believe. I can remember wanting to be here and asking Him to give me the word. I can remember being invited to come by a man, but knowing it wasn't the time of the Lord. I was waiting for the command.
The command was given this past January. And I sit here now, in May, wondering what is about to unfold before me.
I wish to grow more in waiting to hear His voice. I desperately want to depend on "every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
I want to be like the centurion. So confident in the authority of Jesus' words that he had no need for Him to physically lay hands on his sick servant. "But only say the word and my servant will be healed."
I want to be confident that if I look out and see a multitude too large to feed, that when Jesus says, "YOU give them something to eat," I trust that He will grant what He commands as He commands what He wills.
That I would wait for the command and go where He sends, when He sends, knowing that this kind of dependence and obedience produces more fruit than a thousand good deeds from my own strength and will.
That at His word I would cast a net and see what HE does when all submits to the authority of His word. It's HIS word that speaks life to dry bones. It's HIS word that speaks healing to a sick body or a wounded heart. It's HIS word that gives sight to the blind, both physically and spiritually. It's HIS word that even commands the winds and the seas. It's HIS word that casts out demons and binds the brokenhearted and even declares, in the depths of our depravity, "take heart, my son, your sins are forgiven."
But in this case, he is commendable. He looks out, along with the other disciples, and sees something scary. It looked like a ghost. It was someone walking towards them ON WATER, in the dark, with the winds against him, at three or four in the morning. I'd be petrified, too. As soon as Peter realizes that this may be Jesus, he expresses his desire to go TOWARDS what is terrifying and in a way that only the Lord could enable. Walking on water.
I love that what is frightening suddenly becomes so intriguing because Jesus is there.
Here we are in this boat that represents safety and comfort, surrounded by others like ourselves. But there, in the winds, in the dark, above the elements which would normally cause us to sink, is Jesus. And man, does that boat look terribly dull. Knowing that Jesus is out in the scary and unknown makes staying in that boat scarier. It's the fear we feel when we're stuck in the same place just because we know nothing different or are unwilling to step into the unknown. The fear of being like a mouse in a wheel. Running and getting nowhere. When we look at it like that, we see that it should be more terrifying to STAY in the boat.
But beyond this, again, I am drawn to Peter's request. In his bold spontaneuity, he doesn't immediately climb out of the boat and run to Jesus. He calls upon Him and asks for Him to give the word.
Yes, God Himself had orchestrated this moment. But it came from Peter to request the command. He waited to hear the Lord speak and only then did he act. He saw what He could do--namely, the impossible--for the Lord and yet asked for Him to speak a word.
Jesus said, "Come."
Is it any surprise that Jesus would command that which is most difficult, most impossible and most challenging to his faith?
Is it any surprise that Jesus would command that which would put this kind of faith and dependence on display for others to see and give glory to Him?
Not at all. This is the Master I've come to know.
Sometimes the hardest word is, "stay."
Sometimes the hardest word is, "wait."
Regardless of what He commands, however, it is HIS will that we want. It is what HE knows is best that will lead us to more of Him and more souls to be added to the Kingdom of Heaven. It is HIS word that we must wait for.
But not passively.
Like Peter, we must see Him in the danger and say "please Lord...here am I....send me....give the command...say the word...."
The command was given this past January. And I sit here now, in May, wondering what is about to unfold before me.
I wish to grow more in waiting to hear His voice. I desperately want to depend on "every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
I want to be like the centurion. So confident in the authority of Jesus' words that he had no need for Him to physically lay hands on his sick servant. "But only say the word and my servant will be healed."
I want to be confident that if I look out and see a multitude too large to feed, that when Jesus says, "YOU give them something to eat," I trust that He will grant what He commands as He commands what He wills.
That I would wait for the command and go where He sends, when He sends, knowing that this kind of dependence and obedience produces more fruit than a thousand good deeds from my own strength and will.
That at His word I would cast a net and see what HE does when all submits to the authority of His word. It's HIS word that speaks life to dry bones. It's HIS word that speaks healing to a sick body or a wounded heart. It's HIS word that gives sight to the blind, both physically and spiritually. It's HIS word that even commands the winds and the seas. It's HIS word that casts out demons and binds the brokenhearted and even declares, in the depths of our depravity, "take heart, my son, your sins are forgiven."
