Skip to main content

Get Out of the Boat

                      Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.  When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:25-31)

 

When I researched Peter, I spent some time thinking about this passage. I’d read Ortberg’s If You Want to Walk on Water, Get Out of the Boat, but the more I thought, the more I concluded that he’d missed a critical point. If I were a demon or a ghost and I had just identified myself as Jesus, I certainly wouldn’t have answered Peter with “Oh well, sorry Peter, I’m not really Jesus. Stay in the boat.” I would have said something more in line with, “Come on in! The water’s fine!”

I kept thinking and eventually changed my conclusion. Peter trusted Jesus, and even if the figure on the sea was not Jesus, the Son of God was certainly able to save him, as Jesus did when Peter’s faith ran out, as He rescued Daniel in the lion’s den, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. And that thought leads me back to what Professor Willard says about the universe being a perfectly safe place in which to live. And now the coward in me is saying, “Eep.”

And this is what has been plaguing me all the while I’ve been talking about goals. What if it’s the wrong goal? What if it’s not Jesus making the suggestions. What if …what if…what if… I’m wrong? Is it any wonder I’m struggling to keep my head above water?

So, it’s not organized. It’s not scheduled or figured out in any way. But, if God blesses, here are a few of the goals I have in mind:

Finish and publish Word Fire

Finish writing book 4

Learn to market books better

Become a better steward of time, talent, treasure

Read 100 books

Lose 50 lbs.

Get stronger (exercise)

Learn about creativity and apply what I learn

Make a whole bunch of Christmas ornaments (decoupage, cross-stitch, whatever.)

Learn to grow onions and tomatoes right

Raise whatever caterpillars I find and release them as butterflies

Improve skills: writing, sewing, foraging, gardening, and at least one new.

Organize anything that is not nailed in place.

Learn to make necessary repairs myself (conquer cowardice in this regard.)

 

I’m sure there will be more, and breakdowns of the above. If God blesses, what do you want to accomplish? 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen!

  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)            Do you like roller coasters? I don't. You spend forever climbing a hill. You get to the top and have half a second, then you race down to a low point. Sometimes the racing down involves tying your insides into knots. At the bottom, you either have to be dragged up another hill or you get off the ride. Peter's life was a roller coaster from the time he met Jesus. There would be miracles, and then Jesus would teach things that didn't always make sense, and then they'd go out and perform miracles, and return to be taught. Peter was praised for giving the right answer to "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus said that said answer came from God. Peter was at the top of the hill.            ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prayer Lists

                 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (I Peter 2:2-3)   In connection with what I wrote yesterday about the possibility that I’m wrong, I’m feeling the need to go back to basics - craving spiritual milk because somehow, I missed something. It’s a little embarrassing, craving milk like a newborn, but the truth probably is that we are newborns many times in many ways in our lives. From God’s perspective, we may never be anything more than newborns, forever needing that milk. On the other hand, being a newborn can also be exciting because so much is new. My mind is playing pinball - ricocheting from one idea to the next and through six more before it happens to hit the third again. The main topic is prayer. I have at least seven organizing structures all somewhat influenced by the movie War Room , which I’v...
Post a Comment
Read more