CHOOSE TO STEP OUTPeter said, "Lord if it is you, tell me to come out on the water." Peter confronted his fears, and at that moment Peter asked questions. Peter had been with Jesus all day long. He had been with him as he fed 5,000 men, women and children. It was comfortable to trust Jesus on the shores, but now he's in the deep waters. Now he's questioning, "Lord, is this you?" Have you been there before? You knew it was God when everything was going great, but now, you don't know if it's God: "Is it you?" At that moment, God gave Peter courage.
My question is, "God, when there were others on the boat, why was it Peter who decided to step out?" I believe that Peter wasn't any more anointed. He wasn't any more gifted, or smarter than any of the other disciples. Peter had crazy faith! Peter had crazy courage! Peter was the only one willing to step out and take a risk. Peter chose to step out. Know that God is no respecter of persons. God gives us all the same opportunities. We have to choose to step out of our boat and take a risk.
As soon as Jesus challenged Peter to confront his fears, Peter was the only one who didn't calculate the cost of stepping out with his head. He trusted God even more with his heart. Peter didn't have time to say, "You know, Lord, I'm really not a water-walker." He didn't calculate it with his head, but he began to trust God with his heart. Even though Peter was impulsive and even though Peter reacted sometimes out of the flesh, he was led by God to step out in faith because he had the trust of God fully in his heart. It is such a blessing to know God has taken a risk on us. God chose us to fulfill his mission here on earth, but it is even a greater blessing to step out of the boat and to take a risk to fulfill the mission that God has placed in our hands.
I believe there are two types of people in life. First, are the ones who sit around and talk about what can happen. The other type of people step out of the boat and make it happen. What type of person are you? Are you the one who says what could happen? Are you one who steps out of the boat and says, "God, what can you and I do together?" I believe all the disciples had the same opportunity, but Peter was the only one who seized the moment.
God wants us to seize the moment. Now, more than ever before, God is calling us to face our fears and to deal with the storms of our lives. But, how much are you willing to risk? How badly do you want to get close to God? How much are you willing to sacrifice to live out your God-given purpose? How much are you willing to step out of the boat, even if you are all by yourself? Today, God might be challenging you to step out; but, you have to have courage to walk on water. Do you want to be like the other disciples? Do you want to be a boat-potato? Or, do you want to be like Peter, an active participator in the miracle and mission of Christ.
How close can you get to God? God is calling all of us in this Lenten season. There are so many things God wants to do, but we have to change our perspective. We have to confront our fears. We have to choose to step out and know that God can do it when we have great courage. Amen
Excerpted from: HOW CLOSE CAN I GET TO GOD? by Mike Bowie (article for March 6th, 2005)
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