I was a leader at a junior high camp this past week. Of all the messages, all the worship songs, games, and music, one phrase stuck out to me and still does today...
The speaker was giving a message about taking that jump into faith. The scripture he used was in Matthew 14, when Peter gets out of the boat and, for a moment, walks on water with Jesus. The wind and the waves are all around him, a storm like most fishermen were used to, but still frightening in and of itself. Jesus came to them, walking on water. As Peter saw that it was him, he called to him, and got out of the boat. What great faith it too for a mere man to trust his Savior, and his friend, so much that he would go out into the wind and the waves to meet him. The story continues, and Peter walks on water... up until he decides to look around at the wind and the waves, rather than at Jesus. As he starts to sink, he calls out to Jesus. Immediately, Jesus reaches down his hand and pulls him from the roaring ocean. After this, as a teacher and a friend, Jesus looks at Peter and asks, "Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt me?" And they both returned to the boat.
The phrase that stuck out to me, through the whole message was this:
The storm will rage, would you rather stay safely tucked away in the boat and rely on it to save you, or be close enough to Jesus that all he has to do is take your hand?
Matthew 14 is not about Jesus walking on water, its not even about Peter walking on water. No, I believe it is an illustration for all of us, we of little faith, to see that as Peter sank in the storm, Jesus reached out to him.
He did not ask for forgiveness first.
He did not say 10 Hail Mary's and 15 of the Lord's prayer.
He did not confess to his priest, pastor, bishop, or reverend.
He did not gasp for air and swim to Jesus.
He did not learn to walk on water by himself.
All Peter had to do was say "Lord, save me!" and you know what happened? "Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him."
How often are we afraid to get out of the boat? And when we finally do take that step, how often do we try to do things our own way, only to end up drowning in the wind and the waves?
Thanks to Zach Shepherd for his awesome message, and God bless everyone who reads this today.
I pray that you will get out of the boat and stand close to Jesus, so that when the storms rage, he can reach down and pull you out.
Love to you all,
Kskurj
