Walking on the Water

Right now I am sitting on my office floor writing this. I try to move during the day to different spots it helps me keep from being bored and gives me a new perspective of my office. The way things look from my desk is much different from how they look from the floor. During our lives I think that God moves us around so that we can get a new perspective of things that we think that we know all about. Take for instance the story of Peter walking on water.

It seems like when I think that I have everything figured out about this story that a new thought surprises me - though I shouldn't really be surprised at all because this book was written by the Lord Almighty. A couple of weeks ago in the youth group, one of the leaders said that all these things - loneliness, depression, fear, anger, etc. - try to make us lose our focus on Jesus. As I was reviewing his words today it hit me. That is just like what happened to Peter. A huge storm is taking place the disciples trained fishermen are trying to keep the boat floating when all of a sudden they see a man coming toward them on the water.

Their next logical thought is "GHOST!". Finally they realize that it is Jesus. Peter cries out "Lord if it is really you, call me out on the water." Jesus says "Come." So Peter leaves the boat. Then Peter notices his surroundings. The wind howls and the waves cover his feet - soon he is sinking and the black water is pulling him under. He calls out to Jesus and immediately Jesus is there pulling him out of the water and they walk back to the boat. 

Jesus was right there. Peter couldn't have been too far away from him when he started to sink because as soon as he called out Jesus was right there.

All those circumstances distracted him from focusing on Jesus. It is so easy to drown when you look away from the One who makes the impossible say "I'm possible." Because all of a sudden it is down to you to keep the miracle going. And honestly you can't. I can't. So we call out to Jesus and he answers - every time because he is so near to where we are. He has never left us and he didn't plan on us doing this on our own.

I feel like Peter. This past year I have stepped out of my comfort zone and done something that everyone told me that I couldn't do. "Move to Orlando by yourself? Aren't you too young?" Then everything I went through distracted me from Jesus. I started to sink - I didn't think that I would survive this and I called out to Jesus.

I am so thankful he is a God that rescues. Even when I don't feel like I deserve to be rescued. God is so good!