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“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” Matthew 14:28
We as Christ-followers profess an undying allegiance to Jesus Christ. Many have been put to death for proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives. But are we really ready to take the next step in complete faith in Christ?
The story of Peter walking on the water is much more than a Bible story about some guy trying to walk on water to Jesus. It’s a story of one man’s desperation to save himself. Peter wasn’t trying to show himself to be some bigger than life super hero. It wasn’t an attempt on his part to play the one-upsmanship game with the rest of the disciples. Fact of the matter is, Peter was scared!
Never mind the fact that Jesus had just fed over 5,000 men, women and children or that Peter had personally witnessed Jesus power over demons, sickness, hunger and death. That was then, this was now. A storm had come up as the disciples were trying to cross the lake. The boat was full of experienced fishermen, yet they were afraid.
That’s when Jesus showed up. Did Peter ‘know’ the ship was going down? We don’t know the answer to that. What we do know is that these men were tired from trying to row the boat against the wind and afraid. When Peter recognized that the mysterious form walking towards them was Jesus he was faced with a dilemma. In his heart he knew that Jesus was the safe haven he sought after, but was he willing to step out? The boat was going down, in Jesus there was safety, but it was getting to Jesus that would be tough. It meant getting out of a situation that was familiar, but doomed and stepping into the wave-filled sea.
Each of us is faced with decisions like Peter had. We are ‘comfortable’ in the situation we are in. Even if it’s a bad or dangerous situation it offers the comfort of familiarity. The question then is this. Do we stay or jump? Are we desperate enough for Jesus enough to get out of the boat? Are we willing to leave what we know and step into the waves of uncertainty and the unknown with only our view of Jesus as our guide?
Some malign Peter because he took his eyes off Jesus and turned his attention to the troubles that surrounded him. But give him credit. He got out of the boat. He was desperate enough to leave what he knew to get to Jesus.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus. I’m in a situation that seems headed towards destruction. I’ve known you for a while but have come to realize that my knowledge hasn’t taken me to the next step of being desperate for you. I’m content with the familiar even though I know it’s not what is best for me. I want to step out of the boat Jesus. With you as my guide and your Spirit as my power I want to leave what I know and receive for myself what is unknown but so much better than what I have. I hear you calling me and from this point forward I choose to be desperate for you. In your name, Amen.
Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:11-12
High maintenance people are usually described as those people who are always in need of attention, always demanding to be the center of every conversation and demanding their needs and opinions be accepted as fact. It’s their way or no way. One word describes high maintenance people: needy.
We may not like to think of ourselves this way, but in a sense, each of us is high maintenance when God is concerned. Think about that for a moment. High maintenance people always need to have their own way. What is it that gets us into trouble in our spiritual walk? Wanting to have things our way!
We want toys so we run up the credit card. We want exciting, passionate ‘romance’ so we when one partner gets boring we seek out another one. We want a pastor or church that does things our way so we change churches as soon as we are offended. We want our prayers answered when and how we feel so we get mad at God when he chooses a different path for our lives. Like it or not, if you are human, you are high maintenance.
The good news is, your Heavenly Father knew you’d be high maintenance from the very beginning. After all, wasn’t it the desire to have things their own way that led Adam and Eve to rebel against God? Wasn’t it David’s uncontrolled ‘want’ that led him to sleep with another man’s wife? Wasn’t Jesus murdered by the Jews because they wanted to keep their religion pure?
That’s why, when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray he included provision for the things we need the most. “Give us this day our daily bread” speaks to our need for physical needs to be met. Not just food, but health, or the strength to endure when health is taken from us. Jesus knows what we need and wants us to ask for it.
Jesus doesn’t just stop at physical need even though that is the focus of our attention. Jesus goes deeper. He knew we’d need forgiveness. He knew we’d need mercy. He knew we’d need grace. He also knew our ex-spouses would need our forgiveness (even if it’s not offered or deserved). He knew our rebellious kids would need to be extended grace even though they’ve ignored their curfew for the third night in a row. He knew that the people who’ve hurt us the most would need forgiveness just like we do.
For us, high maintenance people are draining, frustrating and hopeless. Not for Jesus. With Jesus there is always hope. He doesn’t see us as high maintenance. He sees us as sheep who’ve wandered far from the flock, as little children who need understanding and a lap to sit on. Jesus always has plenty of grace and forgiveness to extend to you. All he asks is that you extend the same to the high maintenance people around you.
PRAYER: Father God, I confess to you that I’m high maintenance. I want my way. I want my needs met. I want to control my own destiny and don’t want anyone getting in the way of that. Forgive me for my stubbornness. Forgive me for my unwillingness to be patient with the high maintenance people around me. Empower me with your spirit to grant grace and forgiveness to those around me who need it as much as I do. In Jesus name, Amen.
Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. James 4:8 (NLT)
One day I was out doing errands when my wife called and asked me to grab her ‘a bite to eat’ since she was hungry. I pulled into the drive through and bought two hamburgers, two fries, and two sodas. By the time I got home I’d managed to finish all the food in the bag.
I walked into the house and my wife asked where the food was she asked me for. I was rather confused by this. I explained to her that she’d asked me to grab her food to eat. I naturally assumed she wanted me to eat it. I also was surprised she was still hungry since I ate the food for her!
Before you think I’m totally off my rocker, the above story is untrue. Seems ridiculous doesn’t it? No one can eat food and expect others to benefit from it. I can’t eat to cure your hunger pains. I can’t breathe for you. I can’t exercise for you. There are certain things in life that we have to do for ourselves.
The same is true in our spiritual lives. We can listen to good speakers. We can read a multitude of good books about the Bible or about the Christian life. But none of that compares to personally spending time with God. God can speak to you through good speakers, but he’d rather speak directly to you.
Suppose, for example, you had a crush on some person, we’ll call him Fred. Fred has a friend (Bill) who comes to you every day to tell you how much Fred loves you. Yet when you are with Fred he says nothing and does nothing to indicate any affection at all. Would you believe Bill? Probably not. You’d want to hear from Fred himself.
Sometimes we feel far from God. We feel he’s forgotten us or doesn’t love us. We hear all about His love but never experience it for ourselves. Hearing about God’s love but not experiencing God’s love is nothing more than religion. It’s empty, meaningless and cold.
Relationships aren’t built by hearing about someone. Relationships are built by learning firsthand about that person by talking with that person. To know God means we make the time daily to talk with him (prayer) and learn more about him (Bible reading). Good sermons and good books are great, but nothing compares to discovering God on your own through prayer and Bible reading.
Feel like God has drifted far from you? Guess what. He hasn’t moved. But the distractions of the world can make him seem distant if we neglect our relationship with him.
PRAYER: Father God. I know about you. I’ve heard about you and read about you. But I’m not sure I really know you personally. Help me to grow closer to you. I want to be your friend; to feel your presence; to know your love in a way I’ve never felt before. Help me to draw closer to you by talking with you more and reading the letter you sent me. In Jesus name, Amen.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13
Have you ever had some feeling deep down inside yourself that you couldn’t describe, not even to yourself? Some deep seeded feeling that you didn’t understand or even agree with? You didn’t want, or couldn’t share it with anyone because no one would understand you and you feared being misunderstood.
If you’ve ever felt this way then you will appreciate what the Psalmist has to say about your deepest, most secret emotions. No one on earth can truly understand how you feel. They may empathize or sympathize. They may have been through similar circumstances. But if anyone says “I know exactly how you feel”, feel free to gently inform them that they can’t possibly know EXACTLY how you feel!
There is one person, however, that does know exactly how you feel. He knows your deepest darkest secrets. You know, those things you don’t even talk with yourself about. The hidden desires. The questions you don’t dare ask. The dreams you never got a chance to pursue. It’s all there. Deep down inside and no one but you knows the whole truth…no one that is except God.
Genesis tells us we’re created in God’s image. The Psalmist gives us more insight. We aren’t mass produced. We’re knitted. Now, I don’t have the slightest idea how to knit, but I’ve watched those who do.
From my observations, knitting is a very personal thing. You can have a group of people sitting together knitting, but each person is producing a unique creation. It doesn’t matter if everyone is attempting to make the same hat, scarf or whatever; no two of them will be exactly the same. The artist creating the object is personally involved with every aspect of the project. Every creation is a masterpiece.
So it is with us. God was intimately involved in every aspect of your development while you were in your mother’s womb. Your weren’t just some mass of matter. You weren’t just a fetus in the process of development. You were a special creation. A masterpiece of Gods workmanship. Nothing left to chance. No flaws. No mistakes. God in all his wisdom made you just as planned. We judge by outward appearance, but the true self is the inner quality God intended us to have.
The next time you feel worthless; remember the one who planned you intimately and passionately. You are so much more than a developed fetus or mass of cells formed haphazardly. You are the personal masterpiece of the living God!
PRAYER: Father God. I’ve spent my whole life trying to be accepted by others. I’ve struggled to be something I’m not and bear the scars of broken dreams and poor choices. In spite of all the scar tissue my physical body bears, I am your masterpiece, created for you and redeemed by your son. I worship you because as your masterpiece I am, as the Psalmist says, wonderfully made. Empower me to live as your special creation. In Jesus name, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 