“The boat was in the water, some distance from land, buffeted and pushed around by waves and wind. Deep in the night, when He had concluded His prayers, Jesus walked out on the water to His disciples in their boat. The disciples saw a figure moving toward them and were terrified.
Disciple: It’s a ghost!
Another Disciple: A ghost? What will we do?
Jesus: Be still. It is I. You have nothing to fear.
Peter: Lord, if it is really You, then command me to meet You on the water.
Jesus: Indeed, come.
Peter stepped out of the boat onto the water and began walking toward Jesus. But when he remembered how strong the wind was, his courage caught in his throat and he began to sink.” Matthew 14:24-30 (@TheVoiceBible)
There are so many super chunky truth nuggets in this story. Jesus walked to his friends IN the storm. He didn’t calm it right away, in fact he invites them to a little water walking party IN the midst of the storm. (I believe that his invitation was open ended, Peter was the only one with the guts to get out of the boat).
Listen in…
Peter: “WHOA! Can I play?”
Jesus: “COME…let’s do the impossible.”
Once again we see Jesus using his favorite word…COME.
we often think that Jesus’ favorite word is “GO”.
After all didn’t he say “GO into all the world”?
We get consumed in the going. We prove our worth by going and doing.
It’s real easy for us to think that Jesus’ favorite word is “GO”, because that’s what we have heard from other authority figures all our lives…”GO…get out of here…I’m busy…GO…leave me alone…GO…I’ve had a rough day…leave me alone…GO”.
Jesus says “COME…hang out with me…you belong…I have a place for you…COME…let’s do the impossible together.”
He does tell us to go into all the world. But, COME always precedes GO.
COME so that you don’t have to GO alone.
COME so I can give you the Holy Spirit.
GO so that we can do the impossible TOGETHER.
GO, but COME back often…continually…you are ALWAYS WELCOME.
Meanwhile, back on the water…the storm is STILL raging. Yet, Jesus and Peter are surfing without surfboards! Peter is doing fine as long as he remembers that Jesus said “COME”.
But, sadly too often the chaos distracts us from the “COME”.
Jesus says “COME”, but there is so much to do, we are so busy, we are hurting and confused.
Peter was walking on the water until he REMEMBERED that he couldn’t.
He was living in the impossible until he REMEMBERED what is possible.
…and he sunk…glub…glub.
He was drug down by the harsh reality of the possible.
Don’t get pulled down by what is merely possible.
Thumb your nose at what is possible.
Jesus says to us: “COME…let’s do the impossible.”
carbonated joy 