“He walked on the water . . to Jesus.” Matthew 14:29 NKJV
“You are capable of doing more than you think.”
My thoughts today are about “walking on water.”
I am convinced that any person is capable of doing more than they first assume, but most are just afraid to press past their perceived limits. You are capable of doing more than you think; you can’t and won’t know what that might be until you stretch yourself past your previous experiences. Yes, there is a risk of failing; there always is. But failing to try seems worse to me than trying and failing. Never failing just means you never tried anything different than before.
Consider the idea of walking on water. Now you know rationally that water is not substantial or stable enough to bear your weight under normal circumstances. But is there ever an exception? The Bible describes one such occasion when Simon Peter was invited by Jesus to walk on water, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. So, Jesus said, ‘Come,’ . . Peter walked on the water . . to Jesus.” Read Matthew 14:22-33 NKJV. No one was more amazed than Peter when he did, at least till his fears overcame him!
Others in the boat accepted the well known fact that they could not walk on water, and stayed safely on board. Peter made a brave choice; as impossible as that practice was known to be, if Jesus told him to do it why not give it a try. Now I would suggest that you not try this at home, but there are times when life requires that you do something others won’t and that may well involve something you have not done before.
Aren’t there things that seem just as unlikely, even apparently impossible, to you as that must have seemed to Peter and the other disciples. They knew all the reasons they couldn’t; Peter chose to see if he could. You may think you know your limits and you are just being realistic about that, but there will be some moment or situation when you are faced with a similar choice – to accept life as it has been for you, or to “get out of the boat.” The boat is your safe place to be, but that is not where life is lived. Life is unpredictable, always challenging, at times frightening.
What situation in your life today is keeping you safely in the boat while you need to see God at work in your life? You don’t know what amazing things God wants to do in your life if you would just dare to “walk on water to Jesus.” You may think that you can’t reach your goals, or achieve your dreams, or do what God placed in your heart, but you can – that you can’t forgive what was done to you, but you can – that you can’t ever love again, but you will – that you can’t do what’s being asked of you, but you can.
Some things are only impossible because you believe they are. When Jesus is involved, you can walk on water even when you and others didn’t think you could. “Everything is possible for him who believes . . With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Mark 9:23/10:27 NIV. To get where Jesus invites you to come, sometimes you have to try what you thought you couldn’t do. Just make sure the direction you are going will take you closer to Jesus!
My prayer for you today is that you will not be afraid to go where God calls you to be.