Stepping Out

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. [Isaiah 55:8-9 KJV]

Isn’t that the truth?!?! And I’m grateful for that. I’m reminded of it when I read about Christ’s life.

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. [Matthew 14:25 KJV]

See what I mean? How many of us even think about walking across water, much less do so? We think it can’t be done, just as Christ’s disciples.

And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. [Matthew 14:26 KJV]

Just as the disciples, we cry out in fear when we realize that Christ can do things we cannot, therefore we do not understand and we back away. Peter didn’t, though. Impetuous as usual, when Christ identified himself, Peter wanted to join Him.

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. [Matthew 14:27-29 KJV]

You know He calls us, still. One of my favorites is where Peter tells us that in 2 Peter 3:9. He wrote from his own experience. Jesus called him to be a fisher of men and he responded. He called to Jesus to “bid me come unto thee.” Jesus responded, “Come,” and Peter did. He was walking on the water just as the Christ. For a few moments, then worldly things got in his mind.

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. [Matthew 14:30 KJV]

Not that the wind affected him or caused him to fail, but his fear did. He had sufficient faith to step out onto the water and head for Jesus. He lacked the faith that Christ could uphold him in the boisterous wind.

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? [Matthew 14:31 KJV]

As Christians today, we react much the same. You’d think we’d learn over the centuries, but every once in a while those white clouds in the distance become dark and boisterous and we lean to our own understanding, even when we’ve been told not to:

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. [Proverbs 3:5 KJV]

Step out in faith. Even if it is not as we expect, for His thoughts are not ours, He is able to sustain.