walking on water

I was just reminded of a few things about the LORD:

When the LORD speaks directly to me it's usually a simple statement and in the middle of my busy mind I hear this statement and usually it's contrary to my own thoughts. It's a simple truth or a revelation.

You can do one of two things in the silence when he doesn't speak to you again for a while...you can act on that revelation OR you can wait...and wait...and wait...what are you waiting for?

People wait for the details...how am I going to do this, when? who?...was that for me LORD or for someone else???

He's expecting you to be obedient and do what he told you to do...not wait...because really he's WAITING FOR YOU to take that first step...

So he gives a revelation you believe it and you step out in faith - act on it. When you go the wrong way or when a storm hits because you r actually out there doing something for the LORD and not yourself. You start to panic and doubt.

It's like Peter walking on water....he got out of the boat, than heard the wind, felt the storm and doubted.

The storm is when you are meant to stay focused. Keep your eyes on the LORD...this too will pass, don't start looking around at the storm and doubting the LORD's revelation. He believed in you if no one else believes in you - he does, because he doesn't change.

So you start to sink...a key to the Peter story is that the LORD rescued him. He so loved Peter that he let him take that leap of faith even though he knew a few steps later Peter was going to doubt. Why didn't he say ' look mate, stay in the boat, you ain't going to make it to the other side! Don't waste your time and energy, just stay put I will come to you!'

Because our LORD is about the journey - not just getting from A to B. He was building a relationship with Peter, teaching him that even though he was going to be the rock he built his church on - he had to stay focused on him, keep his eyes on him, to run his race.

He wants to teach us because he wants us to learn from EXPERIENCE even if the lesson is hard. Imagine if he didn't let Peter get out of the boat because he knew he wasn't going to make it.....Peter would have never known what it was like to walk on water. He would have never known even for a brief moment what it felt like to do the impossible, just him with the LORD.

Peter actually got to walk on water! What must that feel like?! If you knew you were going to start sinking after a few steps on the water would you still have gotten out of the boat? I would have! If I knew the LORD was going to rescue me I would have jumped into that water.

Where is the real risk with God on your side? Sinking, or failing, is not the risk because the LORD will never fail us and he always has a rescue plan. The real risk is doing nothing, never experiencing what it means to truly believe. SAYING you believe and EXPERIENCING what you believe is so very different. It's in experiencing it that we learn to walk on water.