I have heard this song countless times. It’s always been exceptionally beautiful to me but it really stuck out to me while I was doing my devotional today. It stuck out because I needed to hear it today. Everyday, we are being called to follow Jesus out to places where we will fail if we aren’t walking with Him. This is such an important reminder that we all need to hear.
In Matthew 14:27, Jesus, who was praying on a mountainside, began to walk to his disciples who were in a boat in the middle of the lake. So as expected, these ordinary people who are following Jesus probably are a little freaked out when they see a figure walking on the water towards them. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshipped him saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
This story is so accurate to our faith. It’s so easy for us to become afraid when we are trying to follow Christ. Satan throws things at us every single day to try and make us sink. Satan tries to tell us that we aren’t good enough, strong enough, or worth enough. And then some of us, take a second, and convince ourselves that maybe he’s right. We look at the waves and wind around us, and we let fear sink in.
When Satan tries to make me sink is when I’m following Jesus the best I ever have. It’s when my week has been awesome and I’m feeling good. For me, Satan reminds me of my past. He tells me that I’m not good enough to follow Jesus, that it doesn’t matter what I do I’m already a failure, or he tries to make me feel alone and worthless. And more often than I like, I sink a little bit. I remember all of the crap I’ve done and how I’m not worthy. Sometimes when I sink, it’s gradual, subtle, I barely notice it. I’ll miss my quiet time one morning and then make it a habit until I snap out of it. But the beautiful part about this is that Jesus is always right next to me, waiting for me to cry out for help when I realize that I can’t do it by myself.
Jesus is right next to you too. Once you start to sink you don’t have to sink deeper, Just call out to Jesus. Because the thing about following Jesus is that He knows we are going to sink. He calls us to do things that we absolutely cannot do on our own. It’s the best part about our walk with Christ, not only do we have Him to depend on, but when we fail in following Him, he picks us up, brushes us off, and sends us back onto the water, stronger than we ever were.
Growing In Christ 