Why is it so hard to walk on water?

Yesterday I came home from work to find that my kitchen light wasn't working. No big deal, except for the fact that today is my oldest son's birthday. My wife was intending to make him a birthday cake, but with no light it was going to be challenging. So we decided that the thing to do was to try new light bulbs and if that didn't work, replace the fixture. This meant a trip to our local Lowes to get what was needed. The unique light bulbs took a while to find and then we selected (after a few moments of debating price, color, size, etc.) a new light fixture and went home.

The easy and more inexpensive solution would have been the replacement light bulbs, but when we changed them out the light still did not work. This meant changing out the fixture. Though the box of the new light fixture assured me that this was a simple task that could be completed by one person but this proved to be not as simple. After some sweat, frustration, and perseverance we finally got the new light up and working. This prompted me to ask that old familiar question, why is everything so difficult? Why is it that nothing seems to go as planned? Why is it so hard to walk on water?

The difficulties in our lives provide opportunities. Opportunities to define our character. Opportunities to grow in our lives. Opportunities to develop our faith in Jesus Christ. No one's faith was ever challenged without difficult opportunities. Though changing a light fixture was a small difficulty, it provided an opportunity for growth. Most of the challenges or difficulties we face are as small or easy as changing a light fixture. In fact, some of these opportunities are like what Jesus' disciples faced in Matthew 14.

The disciples were in a boat on the Sea of Galilee in the middle the night when a storm came up. That wasn't the biggest challenge that they face though. Jesus wasn't in the boat with them. That was a bigger issue. Still, several of the disciples were seasoned fishermen who knew how to battle the wind and waves. What really challenged them was when they saw Jesus walking on the water just before dawn. Matthew tells us that these veteran sailors became terrified at the sight of Jesus, that is all but one. Peter upon hearing Jesus' comforting words to not be afraid boldly asked Jesus to bring him out on the water. Jesus simply replies, "Come!"

The invitation of God is always, "Come." We know Peter took full advantage of the invitation but I still wonder, "Why was Peter the only one to walk on water?" There were 12 disciples, yet Peter is the only one who got out of the boat that morning and walked on water. What was different about Peter as opposed to the other eleven disciple? Why is it so hard to walk on water? I see three reasons why it is so difficult to walk on water, to answer to the call to come.

The difficulties in our lives provide opportunities.

The obvious answer is the Presence of Fear. Fear is the enemy of faith, yet just because we have faith doesn't mean we don't have any fear. Fear keeps people from achieving greatness. It tells us that it is safer to stay in the boat than to trust the Creator of the Universe. Was Peter unafraid to step out of the boat onto the stormy sea? I don't think so, but faith is the ability to overcome our fears. The Bible tells us that the disciples were terrified that Jesus was a ghost. These grown men were screaming for fear. Peter didn't let fear overcome faith. When I believe the Jesus is who he says he is and that he will do all he's promised I will be able to step out of the boat and walk on water.

The second reason for why it is so hard to walk on water is the Probability of Problems. When Peter decides to step down out of the boat you need to realize that there were many problems that would discourage him from this opportunity. It was dark out. In fact, it is always darkest before the dawn and that is when this happens. Eleven other men on the boat were screaming about Jesus being a ghost. I'm not thinking they were helping him out of the boat. The wind and waves certainly didn't make getting out easy. I know that in my own life when I'm faced with problems it is often easier not to press forward. In facing these problems we tend to learn to trust God to more and that is when we can walk on water.

The final reason why it is so hard to walk on water is the Possibility of Failure. I know people who's motto is "if I never play, then I never lose." You may have even heard sermons on Peter's failure at walking on water, but I would just remind you that he is the only disciple who got out of the boat. He was the only one to have walked on water with Jesus. If we never face the obstacles, opportunities, or opposition in our lives because we don't want to lose, we will never do anything.

As a coach I always told my teams that we learn more in our failures than we do our victories. Many do not try because they are afraid that failure will define them. To this I would say that without failure we would not know success. God's Word is full of people who failed. David, a man after God's own heart, was an adulterer and a poor father. Abraham, the father of our faith, lied about his wife. Moses, the great leader of Israel, had fits of rage and wasn't permitted to enter Canaan. The list could go on and on. Failure need not be the final word on our lives.

When you stop and think about this, you have to realize that you are just one opportunity from walking on water. What fear will keep you from answering God's invitation to come? What problems are blocking your opportunity to step out of the boat? What failure can keep you from walking on water with Jesus?

Comments

Fires, Lights, Barriers, and Superman. . . Encouragement for Difficult Days

Have you ever had one of those days where you wished you had never gotten out of bed? Those days come for everyone (like that is encouraging), but how we make it through those days is totally up to each of us. John Maxwell tells us in his book, The Winning Attitude , that "our attitude determines our altitude." You know he is right, but sometimes you want to ask guys like him, "Have you been through a day like mine?". I can't really answer that question, but a guy named David helps us with our struggles. David wasn't always king and things weren't always easy for him. Sure we all know about his Goliath situation, but if you looked into David's life it would seem like a mess. He was anointed to be king in his teen years, but had to wait for God to remove Saul. In the mean time, Saul made David's life difficult to say the least. He was the most wanted man in his home country, as wel...

Puppy Love

Anyone who knows me knows I love my dog. Three years ago a friend in our church had puppies to give away and left their pictures in the lobby of the church. It was love at first sight, I just had to convince my wife. Finally, I cajoled and persuaded her how great it would be to have a puppy again and she agreed. We made all of the arrangements and brought home my dog, Daisy. If you have ever seen the movie "Marlee and Me," the crazy stuff that Marlee does is exactly Daisy. I can remember watching the movie thinking to myself that someone had been following me around taking notes on how Daisy acts to write that story. While Daisy has had her share of "adventures" that one day we will look back and laugh about, there is one thing that I love desperately about her. Every morning I get up first in my house and do my morning routine--shower, get dressed, and then go out to the family room...

The Greatest Gift

I was flipping through the pages of my Bible when it popped out, a picture of my daughter. The picture was from her first Christmas. She was such a happy baby. In fact she made everyone around her happy--it was infectious. Becoming a dad was nothing I was (or for that matter am) prepared for. Everyone I knew had told me about the practical side of parenting. People offered advice about how much kids will cost me, eat me out of house and home, and take from me. I was made too painfully aware of the every rising expenses of diapers, baby food, clothes, education, and other miscellaneous items. What I was never told was how much my kids would give me. As we approach another Father's day, I am worried. Once again my kids will head to who knows where ( Wal -Mart most likely!) to get some kind of gift that Hallmark has deemed a necessit...

What I want for Father's Day

Do you remember that Cosby Show episode on father's day where Cliff (the dad) wanted his kids to put some thought into a father's day gift? He got out all of the cheesy father's day gifts they had given to him over the years and showed them how ludicrous they were. This Sunday will be father's day, but not just any father's day for me. This will be the first one without my dad. It is funny, my kids have been asking me what I would like for Father's Day. I told them a paint sprayer would be nice, but honestly what I really would like to have is my dad (& mom) back. Mom passed away from cancer a little over five years ago. We went through the long decline and eventual passing as a family. Dad left in a hurry this past March. Dad had moved in with my family after mom's passing. At times, it was difficult for everyone to adjust, but dad found his second home with us. I know that he really missed mom and longed to ...

Getting used to the Daily Grind

Back when my wife and I were first married, Dunkin' Doughnuts had an advertisement that showed one of their employees getting up in the early hours of the morning--every morning. He would be half asleep, but he would repeat, "Time to make the doughnuts," every time. It was very humorous and got my wife and I to repeat that slogan as we would wander out of bed to start our day. It was those morning blahs of a daily grind that we were referring to when we said, "time to make the doughnuts." But haven't you ever felt like you are stuck in a rut? Maybe it's your job or your relationships or you church or your life that have you feeling like you are caught in routine. Possibly it is something that really has you enslaved that you really don't want anyone knowing about. Don't get used to slavery! The Israelites had this problem. They had grown accustomed to being slaves in Egypt. Joseph...

Living the Good Life

The other morning I was hungry and decided to stop by Dunkin' Doughnuts for coffee and a toasted sesame bagel with cream cheese. As I pulled in looked over to the drive thru and noticed the cars were stacked 4-5 deep and they didn't look like they were going anywhere. So, I decided to go inside (I am not a huge drive thru fan). Once inside I notice that all of the employees had long, sad faces . . . the kind you get after working a double shift. Even the manager looked like she didn't want to be there. Not one person had a smile on their face. It caused me to think about how the end of their day would look, since this was only 6:55 a.m. So often we forget that as Christ-followers we have every reason to smile. Psalm 47 encourages us to get excited about the life that we have because God is AWESOME! It calls us to clap our hands (and I'm not thinking that quite little golf clap) and shout for joy. When was the ...

Value

It has been a long time since I last wrote. I have often intended to, but never took the time to just write. There have been many things on my mind that I have really wanted to write about, but maybe the most pressing is on the thought of value. In an economically challenged world, value has become hugely important. Our lives have become inundated with practicality and productivity. No longer do we take the time to live, laugh, and love. Value is given to everything, and unfortunately value drives our visions and goals. Our time and more often our sanity is sacrificed doing things that we believe bring value to our lives in hope that we will achieve some level of worth that will make us satisfied with our lives. One of the biggest questions of Jesus was, "What profit (value) does a man have if he gains the whole world, but loses his own soul?" [Paraphrase] Something we all...

Graduation Day

Usually, I am not emotional about things, but this morning I am fighting back tears. Today my oldest son is graduating from high school. Time has been trying to tell me that I am starting to get old --grey hairs, need for more sleep, my son is taller than me, etc. When my wife and I first started having children, I was very excited about the time I would get to spend with my kids as the matured. I rellished teaching them sports, helping them with homework, and even discussing awkward dating situations. Today, I know that this is not completely over, but a huge part of my son's time learning with me to teach and coach him is over. For this, I shed a tear. I also realize how much I am in love with all my kids, and especially my son as I contemplate his very last grade school day. For those young parents who are just starting the parenting days, treasure each day and tell your children you love them daily. As for me, I just want to say, "Son, I love you." Congrat...

The Real Me . . . Psalm 51

So much of our day to day routine is wrapped up in making us into something that we really aren't. Young people pierce themselves all over. Tattoos are all the rage again. Hair styles are constantly on the change (for those who can grow hair still). With Mohawks, mullets, shaved heads, spikes for the young and hair weaves, plugs, and dye jobs for the not so young, as a culture we are constantly trying to change our image. Why? I would have to speculate that we are not satisfied with who or what we are. From the time that Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, man has been trying to rid himself of the image of God because it reminds us that we are accountable to Him. In Psalm 51, David finally gets to the understanding that no matter how much he pretended on the exterior, God really knew what he was on the inside. David had done such a good cover up job, that he really thought no one ...

Stumbling Over the Truth

Search This Blog