One word keeps coming to mind when we think about what God is doing in our lives and what is needed from us…..
TRUST
and Proverbs 3:5,6 plays over and over in my mind when I start to get weary……
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Looking back, “faith” was our word for 2013 and God wrecked our world in a messy yet wonderful and beautiful way by stepping out in blind faith and answering His invitation.
and, here we are needing TO RELY FULLY ON HIM as we surrender to His plans which are higher and more wonderful than ours….but these plans take way more faith and TRUST then the “comfortable life”.
When we trust-fall back in faith, we have to trust that He will catch us…
trust HAS to follow a bold act of faith.
or we are plain “sunk!”
Peter comes to mind…..I can relate to Peter “in the boat” SO SO much!!!
Gosh, I would have done the same thing! I am that kinda person!
I jump when I get moved and passionate and don’t stop to assess the situation.
But, then afterwards I’m like, “WHAT DID I JUST GET MYSELF INTO?”
Peter saw Jesus, and he was moved by Jesus, he answered Jesus’ invitation, and was drawn to Him.
But, then afterwards I’m like, “WHAT DID I JUST GET MYSELF INTO?”
Peter saw Jesus, and he was moved by Jesus, he answered Jesus’ invitation, and was drawn to Him.
He stepped out not even taking the time to think logically. He had the faith of a child.
God calls us to believe in a God that can do the impossible….but our “adult, reasonable and logical” brains often kill our child-like faith and so we just box God up in a tight little “understandable” package.
because it is easier that way.
If He is in that box then our lives are safe and comfortable and neat and orderly and predictable….
Yes….Peter just went. Jesus invited him to step out in radical faith…a faith that didn’t make sense!
Peter didn’t think twice…he was compelled by Jesus, was in love with Jesus and wanted to follow hard after Him!!
Love that!
But, what went wrong?
Things go wrong in our lives all the time…struggles, trials, tribulations.
It wasn’t the wave that caused him to sink. Can’t blame the wave. God is in full control of those waves.
It was his lack of trust in Jesus to keep him afloat.
he took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the awful and terrible situation (that big ol’ wave).
Peter doesn’t begin to sink until he starts looking around at the wind and the waves and gets so scared and doubts Jesus.
“TRUST”
We are realizing that we need to hold tight to Jesus and trust, because we have stepped out of the boat…and we aren’t quite sure how big the waves will be this year or how everything will turn out, but we know the waves are coming.
However, God has taken away our fear as long as our eyes are on HIM!
Jesus invited us out on to the water.
He revealed who our precious daughter is. And we are running to her and not looking to the left or right!
But, it is tempting to look at the swells, the oncoming waves, the storm.
But it is scarier to stay in the safe and comfortable boat and miss the blessing of seeing HIS miracles.
We are so thankful fear did not win. It’s by His grace alone that we get to be out of the boat and on this amazing faith journey. This has nothing to do with our strengths.
We are just so thankful that He calls and uses the “un-qualified.”
See, we have nothing apart from faith and belief that HE will equip us…trusting in the God who perfects His strengths in our weaknesses.
Peter got to experience the miracle of walking on water because he stepped out of the boat!!
We have seen so many miracles so far in this precious journey to our Gianna Lilyfaith, and we know He is not done revealing His powers.
The coolest part of that Peter story: I just love how when Jesus gets on the boat…the storm calms.
I want Jesus on my boat, directing our paths.
Trusting that where He takes you, He will not forsake you.
We’re TRUSTING Him with all the unknowns….
He’s our anchor.
