I’ve been challenged before by preachers to “get out of the boat.” Sometimes, however, I have felt like I could not “raise my head to see the road.” Getting out of the boat seemed impossible. My pastor’s message a week ago was so encouraging. He has told me that all his messages are public domain after he gives them, so I thought I would share it with you.
I don’t like ships. I don’t like water, so I’m not crazy about getting on a boat. But I want you to know that if I get on a boat, you’re going to have a hard time getting me off as long as we’re in the water. Because as much as I don’t like the boat, I like the water less. I’m smart enough to know that even though I’m afraid in the boat, I don’t want to be in the water!
In Matthew 14, the disciples were in a ship in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves. It was boisterous. They were fishermen, and they were used to it, but they knew that they were in trouble.
Spiritually I’ve been there before. I’ve been in trouble. I recognized that I was in a storm, and the waves were boisterous. It looked like my boat was going to get swamped. Yet somewhere out of the darkness, I saw a glimpse of hope. Jesus was there. Even though my fear was still there, I knew where my hope was.
Here was Peter, and he said, “Lord, if it is you, bid me to come.”
Jesus said, “Come.”
Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on that water.
The devil told me, “You don’t have enough faith to walk on water. You don’t have the faith that Peter did.”
How do you argue with that?
I said, “I might not. I don’t even know. I don’t even care if I have enough faith to walk on the water. I’ve got enough faith to stay in the boat until my Savior comes.”
Peter may have been walking on the water, but all the other disciples had to do was hold on to the boat. They just had to recognize, “God is coming! He’s on His way!”
Peter got there a little bit ahead of them. That’s all right. You can get there ahead of me, but it will be fine because I know that God’s coming if we’ll hold on to the fact that we see Him walking on the water.
The devil says, “You can’t. You can’t. You can’t.”
Jesus says, “You can. You can. You can.”
The devil may tell you that you can’t walk on the water. No, you can’t, but God can. He can walk through the storm, and He can get to your boat.
Do you know what happened when He stepped in the boat? All was calm! He took care of it.
As long as this boat is floating, I’m with the boat! If this boat tips over, I’m going to get back in the boat. I recognize my inabilities. I believe Jesus walks on water.
Love these thoughts! May we all stay in the boat of safety waiting upon Him to come upon the waves to rescue us.
23 Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters,
24 They see the works of the Lord,
They see the works of the Lord,
And His wonders in the deep.
25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind,
Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
26 They mount up to the heavens,
They go down again to the depths;
Their soul melts because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And [e]are at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
29 He calms the storm,
So that its waves are still.
30 Then they are glad because they are quiet;
So He guides them to their desired haven.
31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
32 Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people,
And praise Him in the company of the elders.
Psalm 107:23-32
Beautiful Scripture!
Love this passage, Stephanie! Glad you shared
Love this. Faith that God will always come is more important than faith to walk on water!
Hudson Taylor discovered that the verse ‘have faith in God’ more literally means ‘hold the faithfulness of God’. It’s truly not on us, but on Him! Sometimes it seems we’re made to feel we have to work so hard on conjuring up our own faith and this thought that it’s truly holding onto God and HIS faithfulness has helped me so much. Thank you for your inspiring devotionals, Elizabeth. Merry Christmas!
Thank you for your comment, Deena.