I remember when I was giving my daughter a bath years ago when she started to do something strange with her foot.
“What are you doing, hon?”
“I’m trying to walk on water, Mom — like Jesus did.”
She told me her preschool teacher had told her a story about when she was a little girl and how she tried to walk on water in the bathtub and never could. Only Jesus could do that — well, Peter did too.
I asked her, “Why do you want to walk on water?”
She answered, “Because Jesus did and I want to too.”
Isn’t that the way we should think — to want to do the same things Jesus did, to follow His examples in the mundane and the miraculous?
My daughter teaches me so much about what I like to call the Jesus-led adventure — a posture of letting Him lead in every area of our lives, following hard after Him so we can be like Him, and dwelling with Him in the promised land He has for each of us.
I love that she thinks if Jesus walked on water, we can too.
Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage, I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come.” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.
Matthew 14:27-29 (NLT)
Peter asked to join Jesus on the water in the middle of the miracle that defined Him as the Son of God. When was the last time we asked to join Jesus in the miracles He’s doing?
Are we looking at current events and uncomfortable with the storm? Or are we asking to join Jesus on the water in the middle of it all? Stepping out of our comfort zone in obedience to God’s calling in each of our lives is exactly what this struggling world needs.
I sometimes forget there were a lot of other disciples in the back of the boat desperately trying to stay in the boat. The other eleven never asked Jesus to call them out of the boat to walk on the water with Him.
But Peter’s faith increased the faith of all the ones shaking in the back of the boat. Their response after Peter did the impossible and Jesus calmed the storm? The others worshipped Jesus, exclaiming, “You really are the Son of God!” (Matthew 14:32-33 NLT)
We want our lives to point to Jesus and to worship Him in such a way that shows others how to worship too. If we ask Jesus to join Him in the miracles He’s already doing, perhaps others will worship Him and say, “Jesus really is the Son of God!”
What are you seeing Jesus do around you but aren’t brave enough to join Him in? By brave enough, I mean joining Him on the water to be with Him, to dwell with Him where miracles happen. It’s not about being brave enough by yourself to get out of the boat or about focusing on what happens when you have a moment of panic like Peter did when the waves got huge. Getting out of your boat is about asking Jesus to join Him in His work, where it’s you and Him and all the power of God at work.
My daughter wants to walk on water with Jesus, and I do, too.
Joining Him in His miracles may look like what the world would call success, serving in the mundane, or probably a combination of both.
For me, I find myself asking for contentment in the day-to-day of motherhood. I ask for the desire to spend focused time with Jesus, instead of scrolling endlessly through online opinions and daily reports on world events. I pray for Holy Spirit-inspired creativity to return so I can fulfill my original callings and for the Lord to give me opportunities to actively serve my neighbors. It doesn’t have to look big from the outside for Jesus to be working in me.
I want to be brave enough to live a life on the waves, no matter if there is disagreement among friends, a global pandemic, financial strain, discomfort in social change, or more uncertainties about my future than I’ve ever known.
And I want to remember Jesus is in the business of miracles, calling our names to join Him, especially when our circumstances look a little scary.
What miracles do you see Him doing in your home, in your neighborhood,
and in the world?
[bctt tweet=”Jesus is in the business of miracles, calling our names to join Him, especially when our circumstances look a little scary. -Stephanie Bryant:” username=”incourage”]
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Stephanie,
I love the pure faith and trust your daughter showed in believing that, she too, could walk on water. Oh to have the faith of a child! Lately, with the way our world has been going, I have been convicted that I need to be about my Father’s business should Jesus return. Luke 12 tells a story of the Master who goes away and leaves the manager in charge of His servants. The manager’s job is to give the servants their portion at the proper time. He’s been given His marching orders by the Master. Whether it’s following the Lord’s directions or pursuing participating in His miracles, now is not a time to be complacent. I’ve shared how God is convicting me during these times in this post: http://walkingwellwithgod.blogspot.com/2020/07/am-i-about-my-fathers-business.html Your post encourages me that I can, not only, be about His business, but I can be used to accomplish miracles. Good stuff!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Wise words for today. Oh that we would have child like faith in every situation. My husband and I are currently needing a miracle regarding his aging parents and special needs adult sister. We know that God is much more aware of their needs than we are and we are trusting him to work out the tiniest details.
Thank you for your encouraging words today.
Thank you.
Praying for you Joan and your husband that God will provide everything you need down to the tiniest details according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Wonderful post Stephanie. Yes, to have the faith of a child again. Your post blessed my heart. Been battling breast cancer since November 2016. No chemo or radiation. Jesus only! Had mastectomy done September 2019. Surgeon took two biopsies on Wednesday, July 8th. I go
back for results on biopsies and have stitches taken out July 14th. Would like prayer and also that I can be a witness to Christ’s saving power. Thank you!
Love this post!
Excellent spoken Stephanie. I have to agree with you. So often when something go wrong in our lives. We panic we don’t go straight to Jesus in prayer. We expect our Husband if we have one. Our Mum if we have one or close friend to have the answer to make it better. We say sure they have the answer they know what to do. They don’t they worry just as much as us. Then we say why is this happening to me or if Married us. If it to do with an illness we right away expect if told from the Doctors why can’t you just give me if serious a few pills to make it go away. But they can’t. We then get into a panic no matter what it to do with. We just want it all to be better. We don’t think of Jesus at all. Probably Jesus never enters our heads at the time of the problem. We are in such a panic. What are saying to ourselves what are we going to do next. If we lost or jobs how are we going to pay the bills. If told we are very ill. Need treatment why me. Like Peter when he was walking on the water we have done the same we taken our eyes of Jesus the one who knows us and knows better than we know ourselves what we are going through that is Jesus. We being to sink. Because we can see no way out of this. Yes there is. We have to learn how to swim again. Not panic. No matter what the problem about. If we lost our jobs or a health reason. Or anything else. Jesus will take us through it. He take us by the hand. Like he did with Peter when he was walking on water and took his eyes of Jesus and began to drown. Jesus put out his hand to save him. Because he began to panic. When in first place we should have went to Jesus in prayer and he would have told us through his Holy Spirit what to do. Then we wouldn’t have felt as though we were drowning. We would have been still walking on the water and not have Panicked. It not easy. We are all human. I panic myself. When I should have first went to Jesus in prayer he would have told me what to do. I wouldn’t have felt I was drowning. I am so glad in the end I did listen to Jesus and held his hand and prayed to him he help me. No better help did I get. Love today’s reading xxx
This is an excellent message of encouragement to me ❤️ Thanks you for sharing this Godly Wisdom!
This reminded me of Walking on Water by Madeleine L’Engle! That is a great question and you’ve got me thinking: where do I see God doing a miracle and how can I join Him?
What a marvelous story to wake up to yes I too want to. walk on water and in my heart I can because Jesus lives there.
Stephanie,
A few years ago my aging dad was put in geriatric psych hospital. It was scary for me. I kept crying out to God to just take him, please don’t let this be the way he lives out his life. Also asked God what is it I am to learn from this trial? Turns out my faith & trust muscles were grown immensely. As a result of having my dad healed completely I was ready to surrender my all for Him. I volunteer with Relay for Life (Cancer), helped another church feed Recovering Soldiers twice. I sense a calling to do all the good I can, by all the means I can, in all the ways I can, in all the places I can, at all the times I can, to all the people I can, as long as ever I can-quote by John Wesley. We’ve been given our mandate in Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Especially now in these trying times we need to show this world God’s light & love.
Blessings 🙂
Oh yes–to join Jesus in the miracles He’s doing! What could be more exciting and meaningful? I pray my heart may be in tune with His and my attention focused on those around me (or these days on Facebook, in the blogosphere, etc., since face-to-face encounters are rare) so at Jesus’ prompting I can get out of the boat and minister His Word in His name. Thank you, Stephanie, for the reminder of that strong image, Peter walking on the water, reminding us we too can walk into the unknown.