This post is uncharacteristic for this blog, but that's ok.
Sometimes we need something uncharacteristic and out of the ordinary.
Sometimes we need someone to remind us of things...
Matthew 14 has the story of Peter jumping out of the boat to walk on water towards Jesus. I love how the Message Bible puts it...
"Jesus said [to Peter], "take courage, it's Me. Don't be afraid." Peter, suddenly bold, said, "Master, if it's really you, call me to come to you on the water." Jesus said, "come ahead."
Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, "Master, save me!"
Jesus didn't hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand then he said, "Faint of heart, what has gotten into you?"
{Matthew 14:27-31}
There are so many things I love about this passage.
And there are things I needed to be reminded of as well.
Right off the get go, Jesus says, "take courage...it's me."
When we sometimes see something out of the ordinary...
{a man walking on water is pretty out-of-the-ordinary}
When we see a circumstance that is impossible, Jesus said, "take courage."
In other words, don't be afraid. Take heart. "It's me." I [Jesus] am the creator of the impossible and it doesn't scare me.
I love Peter's response...
"Suddenly bold..."
Through Jesus' words and the sound of his voice, and the trust Peter had in his Jesus, Peter's response could be nothing less than boldness. Even in what looked to be an impossible situation.
Peter "suddenly"...
not waited a while, not talked to a bunch of people to see what their opinion was, not hesitated, not asked again...
But suddenly.
Peter suddenly became bold and confirmed with Jesus that it was Him that was speaking. "If it is you [Jesus], then call me out into the water..."
Call me out into the impossible with you.
When Jesus confirmed that it was Him, Peter jumped out of the boat.
Without hesitation.
Without reservation.
Without a life vest.
Without a safety net.
Without asking his friends to see if it was a good idea or not.
Without checking to see if anybody wanted to go with him.
Peter wholeheartedly trusted that God was going to meet him out on that water.
In that impossible situation.
And that he wouldn't sink.
Peter walked on water.
He was thriving in an impossible situation.
Until...
His focus turned from Jesus to the waves and reality of his impossible circumstance.
The moment he took his focus off of Jesus, he began to sink.
I am convinced that so many people stay in a state of sinking because their first response isn't the right one.
Peter's immediate response was to cry out to the only one who could save him out in that churning water.
Jesus.
He didn't consult his friends as he sank.
He didn't yell for a floatie.
He didn't try and tread water on his own.
He immediately cried out to Jesus.
How many of us have tried to tread water in our own strength for so long that we are exhausted, we are sopping wet, and we are slowly sinking?
The moment Peter cried out to Jesus, Jesus immediately {not waited a few minutes, not waited until Peter tread water a little bit on his own to punish him}
But Immediately reached out to him and pulled him up out of his sinking circumstance.
Some people think that God wont pull them out of their sinking circumstance. Some people think that God is a God who doesn't care. That He's this "far off being up in the clouds that doesn't give a second thought about me or anybody else."
When we call on Jesus when we are sinking, His response is immediate.
Because He is near.
He is close.
He hears our cries when we are sinking.
Because He loves His creation.
His children.
Matthew 6:30-31 (the message bible) says, "If God gives such attention to the appearance of the wildflowers that He makes - most of which are never seen - don't you think He'll attend to you, take pride in you, do His best for you?
He takes pride in you.
He does His best for you.
He loves you without reservation.
There is nothing you can do to make Him love you any less and there is nothing you can do to make Him love you any more.
He extravagantly loves us.
All of us.
He loves us so much that He knows every hair on our head (or lack there of).
{Psalm 139}
To know every single hair on someone's head means that there is a lot of time spent being close to that person.
We are wonderfully made by an amazing God who deeply, wholeheartedly and extravagantly loves every. part. of. you.
He knows when we are sinking.
He knows when we are treading water, trying to do it in our own strength.
He knows when we try to walk into an impossible situation.
And I love Jesus' question, right at the end of the passage.
"Oh faint of heart, what has gotten into you..."
It's almost like He is saying, "silly rabbit...silly Charity...silly son or daughter...don't you know that I will never let you drown. I will never leave you. I hear your cry. I see your heart. I see the faith you had to walk into that impossible circumstance. I am here. I have never left. Take my hand and walk with me through the waves, through the impossible, back to the boat where we can spend some time together and I can tell you again, how much you mean to me, how much I love you and that I will never let you drown..."
