Call me strange but I'm just excited at the idea of walking on water! Just the thought of that moment that Simon Peter steps overboard and takes his first step on water makes me giddy. As I listen to a favorite track of mine "Walk on the water" by "Britt Nicole", once again my mind races to, in my opinion, one of the most spectacular events of the bible, and arguably, of all time.
I cant imagine the kind of pressure He must have had to handle in that instant. Just at that moment he steps out of that boat into the unknown, I can imagine all kinds of alarm going off on, in, under and all around him; the 'impossible' alarm, the fear alarm, the insecurity alarm, the goose bumps alarm (with literal cold feet), along with a flurry of thoughts assailing him. "Are you insane?", "it doesn't make sense, your body wasn't made for this kind of thing", "remember your wife, kids and in-laws, who'll take care of them, d'you really want to put them through all that suffering?", "are you born of a virgin like your 'Come'mander is?". But all those alarms were not enough to stop him. Before logic and common sense could catch up he was gone! He didnt have time for ratiocinations. He didnt have time to ask for the opinion of his petrified and unbelieving companions with mouth wide agape. The Word was already in motion and now was the time to act.
First, I find a puzzling dichotomous relationship seems to exist between faith and fear such that when faith is about to be deployed, fear shows up uninvited. But if you know what you want, fear has no choice than stand by while you go all out to claim your victory. Peter of all people knew what he was getting into when he stepped out of that boat. Being a fisherman with all those experiences of what a storm can do to a living soul, he'd probably had to save someone at a point in time. Looking down into those murky waters in the dark didn't help matters, the devil must have made sure he saw the boisterousness of the storm which must've sent shivers down his spine along with his life flashing before his eyes. So, the instant he started drowning himself, He cried out for help. Let me chip this in, its in the place of desperation that life breaks out upon us and Jesus reaches out and pulls us up. Once He got hold, nothing could snatch Peter out of his master's grasp, not even the sea in all its might and vastness. Essentially, Peter failed to realize that even though he had faith in motion, he had to choose what to do with his fears. Truth is, you're gonna have to do a lot of stuff afraid. But dont you ever doubt God's ability in you! I tried to find it, but I couldnt; the tie that fear is the opposite of faith. Rather, I found strong evidence that fear cannot survive in the presence of Love (I Jn4:18, 2Tim 1:7). Love then fuels faith. (Gal 5:6) In addition, Jesus didnt rebuke Peter for fear, rather Jesus said "..why did you doubt?". I came across an interesting acronym for fear- False Evidence Appearing Real. The threats your fear pose when you deploy your faith are as good as your enemies' threats while God serves you a six-course meal in their presence. They're helpless. In the light of God's Word, your fears are only a mirage!
"What if I don't make it?" you may be tempted to ask. With the stakes so high, Peter could have played it safe with his heart racing at such an unimaginable rate but thank God he didn't so that people like us can DARE! Dare to dream, dare to believe God, believe Him for the next level, believe Him for our finances, believe Him for our academics and careers, believe Him for our health, believe Him for our families, believe Him to make good on His Word even when its not making sense. His ability is not in question. What d'you have to lose anyway? your life? you lost it to Him already so why wait? you don't have one apart from the one He gave you. Besides, I believe if Peter had the chance, he'll tell you confidently "you can't lose it on His watch". If it seems you lost it, you have His reassurance you're definitely about to regain it (Matt 10.39).
You'll never know what undreamed-of feats He can achieve through you if you never try! He's the God that is able to do exceedingly abundantly.... permit to rephrase "He's able to blow your mind". If only we can connect to realm of the supernatural via His Word, it doesn't matter how boisterous the storms get, they can only facilitate and expedite that long-awaited victory. At His Word, we can always DARE to cross that impossibility threshold.
Therefore I celebrate you as you DARE the unpopular, illogical and 'impossible' because all things are possible to him that believes in other words you're UNSTOPPABLE!
