As a child, I remember trusting my parents for specific things … to get me the bike they knew I wanted for my birthday, to defend me against a false accusation, to pick me up on the far side of town late on a school night when I should have called earlier, and to take care of me when I was extremely ill. Along with those kinds of specific events, I also trusted them for general maintenance … to feed me, house me, clothe me, take me to the doctor, get me to and from school, go to parent/teacher conferences, attend my events, and think I was wonderful. I can say with total sincerity that it never occurred to me that those things might not happen. I knew they would happen because I knew my parents.
In Matthew 14, we see Peter display the kind of absolute trust that comes from truly knowing someone. The disciples were out on the lake in the dark experiencing high wind and waves. Jesus came to them, miraculously walking on top of the water, when Peter asked to join Him. Most discussions of this story emphasize Peter’s lack of focus once he got out onto the water. Looking at the storm instead of at Jesus he became frightened and began to sink. While there are many life lessons from Peter’s failure, I would like to back up to his desire to get out of the boat.
Jesus walking on water makes an amazing story. But, we know He was (is) God and we accept that He could do miraculous things. What about Peter, though? I believe the story becomes astonishing when we consider what he did. No reasonable person would step out of a boat in the middle of a lake during a storm. That would be at best foolish and at worst suicidal. Peter, however, was neither of those things. But neither was he reasonable, for he risked everything to trust the One who called him to join Him in a humanly impossible situation. He could feel the strength of the wind, for he had been struggling against it. When he stepped out, he could feel the sting of water against his legs and the instability of the waves beneath him. He could probably hear the voices of his friends begging him to stop, pleading with him to stay where it was safe. Yet none of that stopped Peter.
Absolute trust moves us forward even when faced with opposition and seeming impossibilities. Trust enables us to risk, and thus experience true safety in the arms of the One who will never let us go. Is the wind pushing against you? Can you feel the sting of life? Are loved ones urging you to stay while the voice of the Lord calls you to come? Don’t be the one watching from the boat as someone else trusts God enough to live a miraculous life. Trust Him, and get out of the boat!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
. . . and a Happy New Year!
Here we are at the beginning of another new year with no way of knowing what it holds. Only God has that information. We assume, based on current events, that certain things will take place. We individually have plans, hopes, and maybe even dreams for this year. We look forward with anticipation. On the other hand, some of us might be dreading an event that seems guaranteed to happen – a financial loss, a divorce, a death.
With all the potential that awaits us in 2009, I am grateful that the responsibility for knowing how it will all play out is not mine. I am more than willing to let it be God’s and to simply trust Him one day at a time. Just because God is in control does not mean we are without knowledge, however. There are important things to know that give us confidence and purpose in this new year. Of the many I could list, there are three that seem especially poignant at this time. Would you embrace them with me, claim them as your own, and walk into 2009 on an unshakeable foundation … no matter what comes?
God is. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists. The first verse in the Bible says, “In the beginning God…” And when Moses asked God what His name was, God’s reply was simply, “I AM.” God is real. I am not alone here. There is Someone greater, higher and more powerful than I am holding everything together. So no matter what happens this year, it will not be random and it will not be without purpose. Almighty God is in charge and that gives me peace.
God loves me. He flies a banner over me that declares His love (Song of Solomon 2:4). His love is unfailing (Psalm 130:7). He takes great delight in me and rejoices over me with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). He loves me so much that He gave me Jesus (John 3:16). He gave me His most precious treasure – His Son. And because God initiated His love toward me and chose to love me, there is nothing I can do that will change that. So no matter what happens this year, I am loved beyond what I can comprehend. The God who abounds in loving kindness loves me and that gives me value.
God keeps me forever. John 10:28 assures me that God has given me eternal life and no one can snatch me out of His hand. When I received Jesus Christ as my very own Savior and Lord, I became a new creation. My spiritual DNA changed forever. I was adopted into His family and made His child in a permanent transaction. So no matter what happens this year, nothing and no one can separate me from my Father. Eternal God has sealed me as His own and that gives me security.
With those simple truths deeply embedded in our hearts and minds, we can welcome 2009 with confidence and eager anticipation.
With all the potential that awaits us in 2009, I am grateful that the responsibility for knowing how it will all play out is not mine. I am more than willing to let it be God’s and to simply trust Him one day at a time. Just because God is in control does not mean we are without knowledge, however. There are important things to know that give us confidence and purpose in this new year. Of the many I could list, there are three that seem especially poignant at this time. Would you embrace them with me, claim them as your own, and walk into 2009 on an unshakeable foundation … no matter what comes?
God is. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists. The first verse in the Bible says, “In the beginning God…” And when Moses asked God what His name was, God’s reply was simply, “I AM.” God is real. I am not alone here. There is Someone greater, higher and more powerful than I am holding everything together. So no matter what happens this year, it will not be random and it will not be without purpose. Almighty God is in charge and that gives me peace.
God loves me. He flies a banner over me that declares His love (Song of Solomon 2:4). His love is unfailing (Psalm 130:7). He takes great delight in me and rejoices over me with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). He loves me so much that He gave me Jesus (John 3:16). He gave me His most precious treasure – His Son. And because God initiated His love toward me and chose to love me, there is nothing I can do that will change that. So no matter what happens this year, I am loved beyond what I can comprehend. The God who abounds in loving kindness loves me and that gives me value.
God keeps me forever. John 10:28 assures me that God has given me eternal life and no one can snatch me out of His hand. When I received Jesus Christ as my very own Savior and Lord, I became a new creation. My spiritual DNA changed forever. I was adopted into His family and made His child in a permanent transaction. So no matter what happens this year, nothing and no one can separate me from my Father. Eternal God has sealed me as His own and that gives me security.
With those simple truths deeply embedded in our hearts and minds, we can welcome 2009 with confidence and eager anticipation.
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