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But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.
Matthew 14:27-33 NLT
Stepping out on faith is not for the faint at heart. It takes all the faith you can muster to call yourself into action and move on things you cannot see in the physical. The truth is if you’re seeing it in the physical, you’re late.
When God created heaven and earth, he spoke it into existence before it was ever visible to the eye. When he gives you an instruction, that’s the word of what is to come. It’s in formation and you’ve got to steward that season well. We received a word to relocate. We had no housing, no resources, or anything, but that word from God. We moved in faith, and when we hit challenges we had to go back to that word.
In reading Matthew 14, I saw the passage with Peter walking on water. Peter the rock of the church, stepping out in faith. Peter showing us that water walking ain’t easy, but it’s worth it. I walked away with four practical tips.
1. Get out the boat – You gotta act on the word. When you receive an instruction from God, move. He could have stayed in the boat and waited for Jesus to come to him, but he stepped out in faith and had a transformational experience.
2. Look to Jesus – You gotta keep focused on him. Peter was walking on water and he looked at his surroundings. He looked at the wind. What are you looking at? The finances? The logistics? If you received a true word, provision is there. Stay focused.
3. Stumbling happens – We’re humans bound to make mistakes. We get distracted by the cares of this world and lose sight of what matters in the light of eternity. The passage says Peter was terrified in that moment of distraction. That emotion was an indication that something was not right. The true test is are you aware that you’ve stumbled?
4. It’s all in how you recover – What did Peter do when he felt terrified by the situation around him? He cried out for help. Sometimes we cry out to all the people who can’t reach out and save us. Cry out to Jesus first. There are seasons that he speaks to you directly and seasons where he sends someone into your life as his very own hands and feet.
At the end of the day, please remember that Jesus is there waiting with outstretched hands. God’s instructions are to be acted on. Stretch your faith muscles. It’s in those moments when he swoops in to save you that you truly recognize Jesus for the savior that he is. Water walking ain’t easy, but it’s worth it for your spiritual maturation.
Today, you have a choice to seek the Kingdom first. I want to encourage you to walk a little bit further in faith than you did before!
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I know that most people are in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season, but December always reminds me to slow down and reflect. It’s something about the cold weather that forces me to cozy up and sit still… I believe the stillness opens
With a little over 30 days left in the year, it’s easy to put a pin in new ideas or projects until the new year. As tempting as enjoying the pause may be, there are some things that we have been called to do that require our action now. Spiritual callings require our steadfast attention, not temporary devotion when our schedules allow. In this season, the Lord has been challenging me to finish well.
In a culture that values purpose and spiritual gifting, it’s interesting how quickly we toss them to the side when we’re fatigued or distracted. We yield to the flesh instead of the Holy Spirit’s guidance. We abandon how we show up out of convenience; missing opportunities to share the Gospel or be the hands and feet of Christ. Simply put, we fail to finish well.
El Roi. The God who sees me. When we talk about Hagar, we often refer to this tender exchange. This exact moment in the wilderness when she encounters God… when she accepts correction and instruction to return to a tense situation… when she receives the promise concerning the son in her womb… when she recognizes that she is seen and known by name. Yes, this is a pivotal moment, marked with such a significant name, and as I began to walk through Hagar’s story, to be seen, is so much deeper than watching someone visually.
“Are you going to try for another one?”
The ink on our marriage certificate wasn’t even dry before people began to ask when my husband and I were planning on having children. This seemingly innocent question was often met with ‘we don’t know’ outwardly, but inwardly it reinforced the shame of not being able to conceive a child.
I am the one in four.
If you or someone close to you is in need, we would be honored to lift you up in prayer. We believe in the power of prayer to bring peace, comfort, and reassurance during times of hardship. Our community is ready to join together and pray as we trust in God’s love and unending grace.
