Day 59: ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’
Read: Matthew 14:22 - 33
Last night was a very difficult night for many. Two inches of rain
pounded the area in a very short span of time. There was flash flooding
in many areas. Roads were being flooded. People were driving to get to
some destination - suddenly there were many reports of motorists who got
trapped in their vehicles on impassible roads. Water flooded out their
engines as they tried to get to their homes or other destinations. They
quickly found out the water was just to fast. Now they were finding
themselves trapped in their vehicles, their safety gravely threatened.
What will do they do now?
They, or someone else makes a phone
call to an Emergency Response Center. They try their best to say where
they are and what has happened. Specially trained Swift Water Rescue
teams are called and dispatched to the scene. They try to call out to
the trapped motorist from above the raging storm with words: "where are
you? "are you okay? "I am here, I will be coming to get you soon!" "try
to stay calm." "Come to Me, Peter, I am here, reach out for my hand".
You hear the voice but cannot see Him.
But what next? What is
the next step we need to take? So often when we have been offered a
fresh start in our circumstances, we do nothing and it leads no where.
We do not readily accept the hand that offers the rescue we need. We are
surprised to find ourselves in sudden, unplanned, difficult
circumstances we thought we could just deal with on our terms. Then
suddenly it becomes too late and we can do next to nothing to rescue
ourselves. This is where the Disciples found themselves one night after
they witnessed 5000 people get miraculously fed. They are in a boat, in
the middle of the lake and suddenly the storm is upon them threatening
to sink them all.
Jesus sees them in their plight from the far away shore where He was standing. He goes to them walking on the water, through the great storm, to reach
them. The disciples cannot believe their eyes, they become afraid, they
do not recognize rescue. ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to
you on the water.’ Jesus said "Come." But, now presents the same choice
each disciple absolutely had to make. Stay in the boat or accept the
offer of rescue extended to them from the hand of Jesus Christ? Based on your own life experiences what do you think you should do next?
What do you think you will do next? Now, what does your very own heart
say say you should actually do next? In faith consider this: what
action(s) will the rest of your body take?
Today as you pray
consider this question: ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you
on the water.’ Lord, help me to recognize you when I am blinded by the
storm. Lord, help me to trust the hand that you freely extend to me.
Lord, I beg of you, give me the freedom to accept by faith that I too
can walk on water as long as I walk with you. Help me to extend my own
hand, with yours, to the other disciples in the boat. Lord Jesus, take my hand, take all that I am and ever shall be. In the name of the One who saw my plight from a distance: use me for your glory!
http://www.youtube.com/
Read: Matthew 14:22 - 33
Last night was a very difficult night for many. Two inches of rain pounded the area in a very short span of time. There was flash flooding in many areas. Roads were being flooded. People were driving to get to some destination - suddenly there were many reports of motorists who got trapped in their vehicles on impassible roads. Water flooded out their engines as they tried to get to their homes or other destinations. They quickly found out the water was just to fast. Now they were finding themselves trapped in their vehicles, their safety gravely threatened. What will do they do now?
They, or someone else makes a phone call to an Emergency Response Center. They try their best to say where they are and what has happened. Specially trained Swift Water Rescue teams are called and dispatched to the scene. They try to call out to the trapped motorist from above the raging storm with words: "where are you? "are you okay? "I am here, I will be coming to get you soon!" "try to stay calm." "Come to Me, Peter, I am here, reach out for my hand". You hear the voice but cannot see Him.
But what next? What is the next step we need to take? So often when we have been offered a fresh start in our circumstances, we do nothing and it leads no where. We do not readily accept the hand that offers the rescue we need. We are surprised to find ourselves in sudden, unplanned, difficult circumstances we thought we could just deal with on our terms. Then suddenly it becomes too late and we can do next to nothing to rescue ourselves. This is where the Disciples found themselves one night after they witnessed 5000 people get miraculously fed. They are in a boat, in the middle of the lake and suddenly the storm is upon them threatening to sink them all.
Jesus sees them in their plight from the far away shore where He was standing. He goes to them walking on the water, through the great storm, to reach them. The disciples cannot believe their eyes, they become afraid, they do not recognize rescue. ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ Jesus said "Come." But, now presents the same choice each disciple absolutely had to make. Stay in the boat or accept the offer of rescue extended to them from the hand of Jesus Christ? Based on your own life experiences what do you think you should do next? What do you think you will do next? Now, what does your very own heart say say you should actually do next? In faith consider this: what action(s) will the rest of your body take?
Today as you pray consider this question: ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ Lord, help me to recognize you when I am blinded by the storm. Lord, help me to trust the hand that you freely extend to me. Lord, I beg of you, give me the freedom to accept by faith that I too can walk on water as long as I walk with you. Help me to extend my own hand, with yours, to the other disciples in the boat. Lord Jesus, take my hand, take all that I am and ever shall be. In the name of the One who saw my plight from a distance: use me for your glory!
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Carrie Underwood "Jesus Take the Wheel (How Great Thou Art)
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Carrie Underwood "Jesus Take the Wheel (How Great Thou Art) Live @ The Borgata Event Center
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