Get out!!

Matthew 14:22-33

The strong waves began to beat violently against the boat as it was tossed to and fro by the ferocious wind. The safety of the boat was jeopardised by the storm, but it was safe nonetheless. The disciples had been sent out into the boat by Jesus and told to go to the other side. They had been sent out by Jesus....alone....in the midst of a storm...

Have you ever felt like this? You feel you are going in the right direction, and may even feel that God led you in this direction but you feel far away from Him in the midst of the storm. Let's read on to find out what happens to the disciples....

The disciples looked up to see a figure moving slowly across the troubled water. Overcome with fear, the disciples started to cry out in fear, until a calm voice was heard... the figure was Jesus walking across the water. Fear was now overtaken with shock. Peter called out to Jesus, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." Jesus replied with just one word, "Come." Peter stood up boldly and looked across the waters to Jesus. He was going to do this. His Lord had spoken, and all Peter had needed was the Word and now he was going to act on it. The wind blew softly as Peter took his first step out of the boat. It was almost as if creation had stopped to see this moment, because time seemed to have slow down. All that could be heard was the water now gently lapping against the boat waiting to see how far Peter would go. Peter took two steps on the water. He was doing this! As if right on cue, when Peter took his next step the furious wind blew again seemingly taking his peace with it. Peter looked around him to see thunderous, dark clouds hanging over this moment. He tried to remember what Jesus had said to him to bring him to this place, but all he could now hear were the tossing of the waves, reflecting the tossing of his anxieties in his heart. As Peter's fears began to swallow him with no compassion, the seas began to swallow Peter's final step and he quickly began to sink. The Lord had called him to this place. Surely the Lord would save him. "Help me!" Peter anxiously yelled. Before Peter was lost in the stormy seas of dread, Jesus' hand caught Peter and helped him back into the boat.

It was not long ago that I blogged about this scripture and I was a bit .. worried ... to write about it again because it could all get quite repetitive. But the Lord really impressed this scripture on my heart over the weekend and so I would like to share, something short.

In the midst of storms and situations we will all find a place of safety and security. Now that thing might not really be secure and it might not really be safe, but to us it is our place of safety and security. Think for a moment, what does the boat represent in your life. In the midst of the storm, what is your boat? Where are you hiding out? Now I know that boats are your safest option when you are travelling across the water, but work with me here- we are going somewhere with this....so what is your boat? Peter is in his boat but sees something, as said in the previous blog about this scripture, that challenges where he is now. I would be thinking, "How does the storm not overcome Jesus!" If there had been no storm I would have just been shocked, but the fact that Jesus walked on water in the of the storm!! The situation, the storm was not holding Him back and Peter wanted the same. He wanted out and Jesus called him out. Now hear this...

Some of us are hiding out in our boats, just drifting along. The storm has not caused us to capsize so we are satisfied with our state of security. It is not to say that the possibility of capsizing is not there, because we all know a boat is not 100% safe. But Jesus is calling us out of the boat to walk on the water. To come closer to Him. We can no longer be happy with hiding in our places of security or more realistically insecurity, He is calling us out to experience more of His goodness. And did you know all of creation is waiting for you to take that step! Many of us need to get out of the boat as we know we have already Jesus say "Come." We continue to hide in the boat but we have a light to shine. The amazing thing about when we step out, is that it can only bring glory to God-when you do begin to walk on water in the midst of the storm (and I believe you will) it will not be because of anything you have done, but because of Jesus. You need to get out the boat, not so the world can see what you can do, but so the world can see what He can do! That storms and situations are for us to walk over not be tossed by. Get out! Whatever step you need to take, I encourage you take it and walk in who you are! Step out and stand out and show what God can do. 

A side note of encouragement. We can often get distracted by the storms around us, even as we walk on water, but we need to keep our eyes on Christ at ALL times! And what happens if we do get distracted and being to sink? (8) I was sinking, so de-e-ep in sin (8)... He is there to catch us! His hand is not short! He is our Redeemer, our Rescuer! Don't worry about failing when you step out of the boat, He is hoping the best and will catch you at any time!!

Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us

Philippians 1:6 He who has begun a good work in you, is faithful to complete it

Acceptance

"Erm...yeah you! You can be on my team!"

"Okay then, I'll have....you!"

We have all been in that position at least once in our life. The two team captains are picking teams and you're waiting to be chosen. So much rides on the direction of that finger as it points to each individual child. Once the finger is in your directions the palpitations cease because guess what? You have been chosen and accepted into a team. And what about those of us who were unfortunately were not even picked last but due to being last ended up on someone's team, or if the teams were uneven had to sit out. That desire to have significance, to be accepted is common amongst most if not all. People are always striving to be noticed, for that significance, to be loved. 

God shared with me some things, that I would like to share with you. Without faith we cannot please God (Hebrews 11) and have faith as I believe in Him and so He is pleased with me. When Jesus was baptised, God said, 'This is my Son with whom I am well pleased." What is interesting is that Jesus had not yet done what He was sent to do, but yet God said He was well pleased with Jesus. WELL PLEASED! He is well pleased with me and accepts me!

Ephesians 2 says it is by grace through faith we are saved. We are always in need of salvation as we are being transformed into His likeness. It is not by works that God is pleased with me and accepts me and I access grace to become who He has called me to be. It is by faith. 

Not only that, but He says as well as accepting me, He is coming back for me! I have been in situations where I have been chosen and then rejected but God has chosen me and not changed His mind - He's coming back for me! He has said that I am loveable! We need to believe that He who has begun a good work is faithful to complete it. 

It can be so easy to get caught up in other peoples' opinion of us and to live for the acceptance of others but Proverbs says that the fear of man is a snare. It is a trap! Those who live to please people can not live freely, especially because the opinion of people is always changing. Lecrae put it nicely when he said "You live for their acceptance, you die from their rejection". You need to love you and who God has created you to be. Not everybody is going to accept you, but how can you expect anybody to accept you when you don't accept yourself. You are worth loving and accepting. Christ showed that when He died on the cross for you!

A message I heard recently really challenged me in this area. The pastor made reference to Mary and how she responded to the angel Gabriel. When the angel Gabriel told Mary she had found favour with God and that she was going to be the mother of Jesus, she didn't question her acceptance or who she was. She was able to carry and give birth to such a gift because she was already in a place of acceptance that wasn't achieved but received. We know this by her response- it was a response of faith. She replied to the angel, 'Let it be according to your word.' It's not that God can not use us in a place of doubt- there are many people in the Bible that God used who He had to affirm but notice that they looked to Him for their affirmation. However the longer we grapple with our acceptance is the more of ourselves we focus on and the less of God. We need to keep our eyes on God for He has chosen us.

Mark Driscoll also put it nicely when, in a recent message, he explained that identity is not achieved but something that is received. We are made in God's image, but after the fall that image was distorted, and so Christ died on the cross to restore who we are. We then do not have to work for who we are- we don't have to try to be somebody but we receive who we are from God. He accepts us and affirms us. We don't have to wait for somebody else to notice us, He has already noticed you and is waiting for you to find out that He is pleased with you!

**Perfect love casts out all fear**