Get out of the boat....

If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat by John Ortberg

“When Christians get out of the boat, they are never quite the same.”

There is a consistent pattern in scripture of what happens in a life that God wants to use and improve:

· There is always a call – God asks an ordinary person to engage in an act of extraordinary trust.
· There is always fear – God has an inextinguishable habit of asking people to do things that are scary to them.
· There is always reassurance – God promises His presence and will give whatever gifts are needed to fulfill His assignment.
· There is always a decision – let God walk you through it.
· There is always a changed life – those who say “yes” to God’s call don’t walk the life perfectly – not by a long shot. But because they said “yes” to God, they learn and grown from their failures. And they become part of His plan to impact the world. Those who say no are changed too. They become a little harder, a little more resistant to His calling, a little more likely to say no the next time.

Water-walking: discerning God’s call, transcending fear, risking faith, managing failure, trusting God

My story, like every human story, is at least in part, the struggle between faith and fear.

The storms of life can torment me. Like the disciples the night Peter stepped out of the boat, we are often not concerned about getting to the other side – we just want to stay alive.

How could the disciples NOT have recognized Jesus on the water? Matthew wants us to know that it takes eyes of faith to recognize Jesus. Often in the middle of the storm, tormented by waves and disappointment, we are no better at recognizing His presence than the disciples were.

Every time someone says “yes” to God’s calling, they will experience His power.

Matthew wants his readers to know that Jesus often comes when least expected – 3:00 AM in the middle of the storm for example.

If you don’t get out of the boat, there’s a guaranteed certainty that you will never walk on water.

What is my boat? Whatever represents safety and security other than God. My boat is whatever I am tempted to put my faith in, especially when life gets a little stormy. My boat is whatever keeps me so comfortable that I don’t want to give it up even if it’s keeping me from joining Jesus on the waves. My boat is whatever pulls me away from a solid, sold-out walk with Jesus.

Yes, there can be danger in getting out of the boat, but there is more danger staying in the boat when He is calling you to get out.

As you grow in Christ, it will involve new territory with new challenges. The decision to grow always involves a choice between comfort and risk.