Stuck in the Boat

Here is another First Light devotion that really struck me this morning! We need to take risks to walk with Jesus and do more than just get by… really stretch our faith and Live for Him! What risk have you taken lately that made your faith stronger? Just remember to keep your eyes on Him so you don’t fall!

STUCK IN THE BOAT!

Brian Biggers

Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him.

Matthew 14:33

In Matthew 14 we find the great account of Jesus’ disciples being ravaged by a storm as they huddled in fear in their small boat. As Jesus Himself walked to them across the waves, Simon got the crazy idea that rather than wait for Jesus to come and rescue him, he wanted to walk on the water like Jesus! What possessed him to think such? We need to find out because the obvious message in the passage is that God is (notice I did not say was) not offended by people who want to take wild risks and are willing to fail if they can see God do something great in response to their faith. Not only is He not offended, He must like it or He would not have placed this in His Word to you and me. Something in the big fisherman cried out “I want more than the just get by life that everybody else has”. I want to see God do something great! In response to his step of faith out of the boat God rewarded him big time by making it possible to actually walk on water! This passage is pregnant with revelation about God, life, faith, and risk. We learn that God blesses risky faith above polish, education, perfection, wishing, or anything else. He is a faith rewarding God! (Hebrews 11:6) We also see that in order to see Him move on our behalf in a big way we have to decide we are willing to fail if it means we can see His miracle hand! Are you one of those “play it safers” that is fearful of risk? Are you willing to trade miracles for safety and security? The hard truth of scripture here and in all of the Bible is that miracles and security are never compatible. Every believer has to choose one or the other. You may criticize Simon by reminding everyone that he failed and floundered as he walked by faith. You are definitely in the safety class! I, on the other hand am amazed at the fact that the man actually walked on water miraculously! Who cares if you fail a few times if you get to experience the miracle hand of God! Who cares if you fail a bunch of times! The undeniable activity of almighty God in my life is worth it! The other great revelation in this passage is the eleven that choose to stay huddled in fear in the boat rather than risk failing for the sake of walking with Jesus! Where was Jesus? He was not in the boat, the place of safety and comfort! He was out on the water where the action was! If you are going to really walk with Jesus you are going to have to get out of your “comfort zone” (place where people just exist rather than live) and take some risks to get to Him! You may get criticized by the “safers”, you may look like a fool as you fail a few times, you may quake in your shoes as you take off, but to experience the miracles of God is well worth the cost! Religion always trembles in fear and says “play it safe”. (while it slowly dies of acute boredom) Faith always yearns for more as it dives over the edge while hollering “lets risk it and see what He does”!

Dear Jesus who walks on the water, I knew there had to be more to life than just poking along in the safe lane! Just as you commanded the crazy fisherman to risk it all for the chance to see you do something glorious, command my heart to follow you into something that scares me spitless!