Back in the Boat
If you have a Bible, read Matthew 14:25-33. It is the account of Jesus walking on the water. I'll give you a brief sketch:
The disciples are all in a boat in the middle of a lake. They look up and see Jesus coming toward them walking ON the water. Peter (one of the disciples) displays his faith by getting out of the boat and walking toward Jesus. But then he begins to doubt and starts to sink. Jesus saves him and they get back in the boat.
Here is what we know for sure: Peter had a great amount of faith, but somewhere between the boat and Jesus he started to doubt. We also know that Jesus saved him and they got back in the boat where it was safe.
Here is what we don't know: how did they get back to the boat? Was Peter close enough to just reach up to the boat (probably not- read verses 30-31). Did Jesus walk beside him while Peter swam? Did Jesus help Peter to walk back to the boat? Did Jesus carry Peter back to the boat?
Here is the relevance: I have times in my life when I have great faith, and I have times when I have doubts. How does Jesus restore my faith and get me back to the boat so that I can step out in faith again?
Here is the question: How do you think Jesus got Peter back in the boat? How does Jesus help you to believe? Where do you need to have more faith right now?
posted by Darin @ 7:08 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Thanks for starting Jes.
I'm good at trusting God with the big things like giving me a job. But I'm so quick to doubt that he will handle the small things.
Example- One week left until deadlines:
I didn't freak out when I was leaving a job and didn't have a new one yet.
I did freak out (at the job he gave me) when I had extra tickets to Acquire the Fire this weekend.
I don't know why trusting God with the big things is so easy, but trusting with the small things is so hard. Maybe I just think that he isn't interested in the details of my life.
I do know that this isn't true (Matthew 10:30 says that God has numbered the hairs on our head), but it is a place that I struggle.
Also, (Just my IDEA) I think that Jesus might have helped Peter walk back to the boat. When I have doubts it seems that God gives me little signs to help me believe.
I ususally find that that I have total faith that God answers prayers I pray for other people, but for some reason my struggles aren't the same...i can't really explain it.
But on the other hand I truely belive that God helped Peter back to the boat...whether he carried him or guided him buy the hand I don't know...I just invision JC like a father with his young child learning to walk...and holding Peters hand has he took each step back to the boat on the water...
I know this is how God has guided me back into my walk with him...when I start to struggle and maybe take a little detour every now and then...but God/JC is there to pick me up and help me walk tall again...just like a father with his little child learning to walk. How often do our parents still look out for us now. I knwo mine do. because of the amazing love they (GOD/JC and our parents) have for us.
I'm with Nichole. I'm thinking that Jesus helped Peter back in the boat. Although it would have been funny if when Peter tried to get in the boat, he capsized the thing. Sorry, that was UNCALLED for, but made me giggle!
Oh, and other 20-Something's, Nichole is a friend from my old church, 808.
I find the hardest places to trust God in the areas that I have screwed up. Although I know God has forgiven me, I still think there will be some sort of punishment that goes along with it. Like with my eating problems.. I hope and pray that Darin and I can have kids. I constanly fear that my selfish eating problems will result in my inability to have babies. I daily have to give it up to God. God isn't sitting upstairs ready to punish us in any and every way, it's just a fear that I have to keep working through.
Post a Comment
<< Home