Re:Verse passage – Matthew 14:22-33 (day two)
But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
What are some of the obvious takeaways from this familiar story? 1)When you trust Jesus he will enable you to do things you never dreamed possible. 2)If you take your eyes off of Jesus you will fall.
I was actually drawn to something in the middle of these two. When you step out and follow Jesus you can expect the winds to come up around you to blow you off course. When Peter stepped out of the boat the seas were already disturbed, but that didn’t stop him from trying to get to Jesus. It is one of the most pure acts of Peter’s ministry. He saw Jesus and he knew he had to be near him. It didn’t take long, however, that the winds and waves reminded him that he wasn’t on solid ground.
All of these statements are true. What we must pray is that when we are in the midst of where Jesus has called us to be, we will not take our eyes off of him, or let ourselves be distracted by the noise of the wind.
The weird thing is that Jesus didn’t really call Peter to join Him; Peter was demanding further proof of His power. And Jesus obliged! Both this week’s and last week’s accounts of miracles have me pondering the tension between waiting on the Lord and being pro-active. So thought-provoking and so important!
Where in my life and yours are you and I supposed to get ” out of that boat of safety” and into an exciting walk through the storms with Jesus?
It seems that Jesus is already refining Peter’s gift of initiative.
Peter will be facing a time when he will be sifted and surrendered to become a man whose faith no longer relies on himself but on His Maker. A bold, courageous leader fulfilling His Maker’s calling and purpose in his life: “Feed My Sheep”. Oh the patience, kindness and love of God for His people!
May I trust God to refine my gifts as I go and not shrink back in fear and miss the fulfillment of His purpose for and in me.
What I take away from this passage is for PAM not to take my eyes OFF of Jesus whether I’m asking for his PROOF of call or when he calls me to take a step of faith..OMG where are those stepping stones I so earnesty seek…oh yea, right, God/Jesus is MY STEPPING STONE…stop your worrying girl…take the 1st step, He’s right there beside you & waiting for you to move out!