WEDNESDAY 25 JANUARY - TO EXPERIENCE GOD, YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT!

Read Matthew 14:22-36. Have you ever been water skiing? Or surfing? Or ice skating? It takes courage to step on the water, or to catch a wave and let it take you, or to step onto the ice rink. I’ve only ever attempted the latter and fallen flat on my face!

But if you’re going to achieve any of those things, you have to take the step of faith at some point. There’s no point in standing on the shore with water skis on. You have to get out on the water. A surfboard might make a fashion statement, but it’s of little use unless you’re going to plunge into the ocean and surf the waves. Ice skates make terrible shoes! You have to get out on the ice.

Sometimes, God uses the storms of life to encourage us to take a step of faith. If my line of legal work hadn’t changed beyond all recognition, I might still not be a Salvation Army officer. And being made redundant probably pushed me to make the right decision to obey God’s calling rather than prevaricating over whether I should or not.

Peter would never have attempted to walk on water had it not been for the storm. The storm caused him to react in faith and to experience a special outpouring of God’s power. If you feel you’re in a storm at the moment, pause and ask God what he wants you to do. And be willing to do it. It’s time to get out of the boat!

THINK IT OVER

Think about the following:

Where is Jesus inviting you to step out of your comfort zone and “walk on water?”