A Walk On The Water

Good Morning,

My coffee today is Door County Mocha Mint Coffee. Dessert in a cup!

I want to start today with the our text. It is a little longer than usual but very important.

Matthew 14:22-33

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Walks on the Water

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
²⁹ “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

I see something here that might be different from some of the views you have heard previously. We could talk about the fact that when Peter took is eyes off of Jesus he began to sink. Great point but not where we are headed. 
There were eleven others in the boat. Only one experienced walking on water. Whether it was 20 seconds or two minutes. Peter walked on water. Peter got out of the boat and experienced a miracle.
The others missed out.
All too often God will call us to experience Him with a challenge or a call to action. But we have so many excuses. I can't because, "I am too busy. I haven't been trained. I don' t have that talent. I don't have the resources. I am afraid. I am too old. I am too young."
There can be a "boat load" of excuses as to why we do not jump in and serve when God calls. (The pun was intended.) I want you to picture all the excuses as boards for the side of a boat. Each excuse is a board on your boat that builds up the side of your boat. You believe that the higher the sides on your boat the safer you are from the sea. Actually once the sides become so high it becomes harder to get out of the boat. Basically if they are high enough you might not even be able to see out. It is easier to get out of a row boat than out of a battle ship.

These excuses rob us from seeing God at work and they steal our to be water walkers with and for God. Get out of your boat!

Have a great Thursday.

Love you all.

Marty