Stepping out of the Boat

Matthew 14:22-32

I want you to read this devotional with your bible open. We all know that God is calling us to be a light in the midst of so much darkness in this world. The question is how do we do that? Well, the answer is quite simple. Get out of the boat! Let’s take a look at this passage together. Jesus sent the disciples ahead of him in this boat. The disciples no longer had the comfort of Jesus’ presence right there with them. Ever felt like you and God were so close one week and then the next week He is three million miles away? Maybe he sent you out on a boat and wants to see if you are willing to step out onto some crashing waves to get back to him.

I am sure that all of us have had a time in our life where we felt like God is calling us to do a certain thing. Whether it is to go and witness to someone in a grocery store or go to China to be a missionary, he has called us do something. If that has happened to you, how did you feel when you felt God tugging on your heart? Were you a little scared? I know that sometimes when I feel like God is calling me to step out the place I am in it makes me a little nervous and uncertain. When the disciples saw Jesus standing on the water they were terrified. In fact, they thought he was a ghost. I can relate to that because there have sometimes in my life where I saw God standing at a place he wanted me to go and I said “this can’t be right, there is no way that is real”. Ever been there? But then Jesus confirmed his disciples, he said “it is I”. Man, how nice it would be to hear Jesus say that! Then he says to them “don’t be afraid”. Now why did he tell them not to be afraid? Jesus knew that the disciples were a little terrified, and he knew that Peter wanted to get out and come to him. Then Peter said Lord, if it is you than tell me to come out there to you. Have you ever asked this question? “Oh Lord, if that is really you and you want me to get out of this nice little boat with my nice little Christian friends then I need you to really tell me to come.” I know I have. Well that is the same thing Peter did. But do you know what Jesus said? He said Come Peter!

Now Peter had a choice to make. Does he stay in the boat were he knows he is safe, or does he walk out on the water where Jesus is. You know, we have that same choice every time God calls us to do something. So Peter is walking on the water but he starts to notice the waves around him. Do you know that when you get out of your comfort zone you begin to see a lot of things that make you uneasy? It seems like you notice every little thing when you step out of the boat. Well, Peter began to sink and he cried out to Jesus. Peter did a very smart thing by crying out to Jesus when he first started to sink. We don’t seem to understand that concept. We start sinking and then we start trying to swim and kick and paddle and do anything else that we think will help. When Peter cried out to Jesus the bible says that Jesus immediately reached out and caught him. You know, we sure could save ourselves a lot of trouble and heartache if we would let God be God. Now let’s look at what happened after Jesus caught Peter. I want you to understand this important detail, when Jesus reached out to save Peter they touched! Even though Peter didn’t make it out to Jesus with out sinking he still got to touch Jesus.

Peter left the boat by himself. But when Peter came back to the boat he brought Jesus with him. I can just see it now, Peter and Jesus stepping back into the boat hand and hand. When they got back in the boat the Bible says that those who were in the boat begin to worship him saying truly you are the Son of God! Do you realize the power of that? Peter was successful in the fact that he stepped out of the boat. But Peter took his focus off of Jesus and he failed to get all the way out to where Jesus was calling him. Now did this make Peter a failure? By no means was Peter a failure. Peter still got to touch Jesus! The neatest thing about this whole story is that the guys who were in the boat recognized Jesus as the Son of God when Jesus and Peter got back in the boat.

A lot of times we want to make are friends around us believe the way we do or to have the same fire and be zealous about God like we are. Well if you really want that to happen you have to be willing to leave the place where your friends are and the places you are comfortable. The great thing about that is that if we get out and go where Jesus has called us to go we get to touch him. And after we touch him we will get to bring him and his power back to the boat we left. Then and only then will our friends and fellow pew sitters really see the power of God!

I challenge you this week to find out where God is calling you. Step out of the boat. And if you begin to sink, call on God immediately and he will save you!