It’s common for us to look around and compare our lives with others. We scroll through our newsfeed and scan who’s who and what’s what. As a blogger, I see tremendous value in shining God’s light through social media. As a counselor, I see the destruction it causes almost every day in my sessions. This obsession with posts, tweets and pictures breeds covetousness. This never ending selfie tsunami generates the opposite of God’s desire. We begin to want what we believe others have instead of seeking what God has for us. We think we’ve been left behind. We believe the lies.
Do you want to see the miracles of God in your life? Do you want to see Jesus command the wind and waves in your relationships? Do you want to walk on water just as Peter did before doubt crept in? Then you have to get in the boat. You have to obey the Lord. Before you pick up your phone, go to His throne.
In reading Matthew 14: 22-33, Peter’s lack of faith is often the focus as he infamously sinks in the waters he once walked on. But I’d like to ask you to rewind. Before the storm, before the boat, there was a feast prepared by the King. Go back to the miracle that had just happened. Jesus had fed five thousand. The disciples were hanging out with Christ. It was comfortable. It was perfect, right?
Then he commanded them to get in the boat and go before Him to the “other side.” I can just hear myself had I been there, “Wait, what Lord? Why do we have to go? I wanna be with You. It’s looking stormy out there, I think we should camp for the night.” I can imagine that it was probably cold and dark. We know that the winds were “contrary”. The only instruction the disciples had was to get in the boat and go to the “other side”. It seems scary, too many unknowns.
How many times do we still refuse to get in the boat? God gives us a direction and we resist. Then we look around at others and wonder “why do they have it all?” Peter never would have walked on water if he first hadn’t been on the sea. Why was he on the sea? He obeyed Jesus. He got in the boat.
I don’t know what your “boat” is friend. What has God put before you that seems unfamiliar and requires you to trust Him? Each time God has brought me to the “other side” it has been uncomfortable. I can’t see the destination. I have an urge to turn and run, but where would I go without God’s blessing? I don’t want to be stuck on the shore hearing about everyone else’s miracles. I want to walk on the water with Jesus. How about you?
- “Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.” Matthew 14:22 NKJV
- “And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ‘come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.” Matthew 14: 28-29 NKJV
