Get Out Of The Boat

Today's Gospel was about Jesus calling Peter out of the boat and walking on the water with him.
Now Peter was a very bold person and when he saw Jesus out on the water he decided to ask to join him.
Jesus called and Peter got out of the boat and was doing fine until he started to doubt and began to sink.
Jesus held out his hand and helped him to safety.
This story is not so much about walking on water as it is about doubt.
Both doubt and fear have nothing to do with God but everything to do with the other guy.
When we are on the right track doing the work of God if we begin to feel we are failing we start to doubt thus making us depend more on our selves and less on God.
I tend to think that if Peter doubted even though he had seen Jesus preform miracles then who are we to not also have these feelings.
It takes a brave trusting person to understand that they are weak and in need of guidance.To just allow ourselves to follow and not try to take control is contrary to our very human nature.
I know people in my life who are what is called "type A personalities." They need to lead and always be right being very much in control of not only themselves but those around them.
I tend to think people who are like this must have great fears that some terrible thing will happen and they will not know how to get out of it.
To them control is what keeps everything orderly and even when they do take chances they still need to control the actions in order to control the out come.
Faith does not ask us to control the out come.
Faith says do it and I will show you my out come.
Believe in me and no harm will come to you because you are my child.
Last week at our Festival we had an inflatable bounce house set up for the kids.
One little girl was very afraid and did not want to go in but with some encouragement she put faith in her mother and friend and went in.It took her great self control to face her fears but before she knew it she was not only in the house but having fun bouncing up and down with the other children.
Jesus tells us in the bible to have faith like a small child and we will gain our inheritance.
We are to,even when were frightened, be trusting and face our fears so we can be who God wants us to be.
Like the little girl in the bounce house we need to take the first steps in order for God to help us take the next steps.
Fear and doubt are the devils twin tools. They make something small seem so much greater then it is so we will cower in the corner and be frozen.
But even David faced his Goliath and knocked him to the ground because God told him he could and he listened.
So the next time you hear God tell you to step out of the boat try it and you may be surprised about how things work out.