Faith in the storms

1/7/11 Friday
It’s another day. I remember the times when each day was something I dreaded, something I did not look forward to. That is no longer the case now because I understand my life is a gift. Each day brings struggles and hardships but despite that I know I am blessed. Our enemies are camped around, ready to overwhelm us if we let them, but our God is stronger than all of them put together, and always there to help, as long as we reach out to Him. That is always up to us, always our choice. This brings to my mind one of the times Jesus walked on water. It’s found in Mathew 14:24 “the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night 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."

We can all be like Peter, who faltered as he walked on water, when he looked around at the stormy waves around him, and took his eyes off of Jesus. He (Peter) was walking on water, actually doing it, in the midst of miraculous success, at a “WOW” moment in life, when he looked around at the circumstances that surrounded him and allowed fear to exist in his mind. That’s when his fear became reality. There’s a proverb (10:24) that says “Whatever the wicked fears will come upon him”. Now Peter was in no way wicked but the principle holds true regardless of your level of righteousness, what you fear often will happen. Faith is a hard thing to have when things are difficult. It’s easy to have faith when all is going the way you like it, but let the storms come on and then we have a true test of the reality of your faith. We are surrounded by storms, by those who say one thing but do another, by futures that look bleak with little relief in sight, and by obstacles that are seemingly impossible to overcome, but through it all I know God is here with us. His hand will hold us up, but only when we call out to Him and reach out to grab His hand. If we, in our pride or despair, choose not to trust in God, then we will suffer the consequences of that for the reality is that in not choosing to depend on God we choose to turn our back on Him. It’s one or the other, either God is God and is there for us, or He’s not. He will let us falter and fall, knowing or hoping we will turn to Him and accept His mercy and grace. We choose life, or death, and suffer the consequences of our choice.

Got to go.