Posts Tagged water

Get out the Boat!

Sep 5th, 2008 Posted in Men's Ministry | no comment »

23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29“Come,” he said.   Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” – Matthew 14:23-33 (NIV)

All right, let me set the scene; Jews had legends about night spirits and believed these were a bad omen. It’s between three and six in the morning, and the wind has been prevailing against the boat most of the night, pushing it away from the shore. We find – in the book of Mark – that they had rowed three and a half miles and were still in the middle of the lake. They see Christ walking on the water, and don’t even believe it’s Him when He calls to them. Peter tells God to call to him personally, and then walks out to meet Him. How many times do we do this? We feel a tugging at our heart that – if we are quiet, in prayer, and honest with ourselves – we KNOW is God calling us to do a specific thing, but our fears get in the way and we “test” the Lord? I have a great example for you married men. You and your wife have had a disagreement, maybe it wasn’t even an animated one, and it is now getting toward evening. You feel like you should “say something”, being that you are to treat your wife gently, as a treasured and fine vessel, but boy did she get you going! You are almost unable to look at her let alone start a conversation with, “Sweetheart I’m sorry I was not gentle with you and I cherish you. Can we pray together before we go to bed”? You justify yourself with conversation in your own mind, before the Lord Himself, saying that “she started it”, or, “sometimes love is direct”, or, “none of my side of the conversation was untrue”. Guys, He is the Lord, and He justifies you, you don’t justify yourself in His eyes no matter how “right” you think you were. Read the rest of this entry »

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