[Dailydevo] Daily E-Devotion Thursday July 12, 2007

[bludwig at zlc-aa.org]

E-Devotions for Thursday July 12, 2007

 

As our nation deals with draught and heat waves, I wondered what God might
say to us about water, remembering that water was and still is more precious
than gold in the ancient middle east.  (Pastor Ludwig)

 

 

Matthew  14:22-33

Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the  other
side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds,
he went up on the mountain by  himself to pray. When evening came, he was
there alone,  but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the
land,  beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. And in the fourth
watch of the night he came to them, walking on the  sea. But when the
disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified,  saying, "It is a
ghost!" And they cried out for fear.  But immediately he spoke to them,
saying, "Take heart, it is I; have no  fear."  And Peter answered him,
"Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on  the water."  He said, "Come." So
Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water  and came to Jesus;  but
when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried  out,
"Lord, save me."  Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him,
saying to him,  "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?"  And when they
got into the boat, the wind ceased.  And those in the boat worshiped him,
saying, "Truly you are the Son of  God."  

 

We rarely look for miracles anymore. Like the disciples in the Gospel text
above who thought it was a ghost walking on the water because it just
couldn't be a real person, we are somewhat cynical. Perhaps we pray for a
miracle as a last resort but we would hardly jump out of the boat and expect
to walk on water!  Peter gets a bad rap for allowing waves of fear to drag
him down into the dark waters, yet we are all, at certain times in our life,
filled with doubt and fear. The fearful waves of our lives can intimidate
us, blur our vision and cloud our judgment. The small can become large and
the large can seem insurmountable.

 

But Peter did two things; he jumped out of the boat to meet Jesus and he
took Jesus' hand when his own strength and courage was not enough. In so
doing he knew the miracle of God's power and then experienced the miracle of
God's saving grace.  Take a leap and expect a miracle!  Put out your hand
and feel God's grace!

 

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