Why Thru Deep Waters???
On the Waves
Jesus let His disciples do crazy hard things.
Matthew 14:23-33 is an example of how Jesus let His disciples experience things that seemed too difficult for them to handle:
23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
In the Storm
Jesus let His disciples get into the boat knowing there was going to be a storm. He knew the struggle they were going to experience. He was never surprised by the wind and the waves. And He entered into it with them. He would not leave them to face the storm alone.
Where Feet May Fail
Lyrics from the song Oceans inspired the name of this blog:
You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown
Where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand
And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours
You are mine
Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed
And You won't start now
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Saviour
Called
He met them in the storm. Right where they were. He walked on the very waves threating their lives. And then He called Peter out of the boat. Out of his comfort zone and into a seemingly impossible situation. He asked Peter to set out in faith, and even when the doubts overtook him, Jesus reached out His hand to hold his head above the waves.
Out of the Boat
You cannot grow within a comfort zone. If I want to grow in my faith, I need to let Christ move in me and my life in ways that make me uncomfortable. I want to invite that.
Invite the scary, uncertain, impossible situations that God is going to use to grow and stretch me. I would rather be on the waves with Jesus than in the boat with everyone else.
This blog seemed like a good way to do that. In a small way, learn how to lean on the Holy Spirit for the right words, surrender my agenda to God, and share my faith in new and exciting ways. I hope you’ll join me, not only in reading what I write, but applying it to your own life!