Without Borders
I was listening to a song that I have come to truly love!!!! Oceans. If you have never listened to it, here is a link to the you tube video with lyrics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw
But as I was thinking about it- One of the lines reads, "Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders", do I really desire that? I sing it to my Lord, but is it sincere? Do I want to experience situations that force me to deepen my trust in God?
We go about saying that we trust God. We trust him to care for us, and ours, in our neatly manicured fenced in yard. It may include a beautiful big shade tree, and lovely, fragrant perennials. We are happy there- comfortable. Thankful! EASY to trust God. The sun shines there. But on the other side of the white picket fence, beyond the safety of of that border, there is a storm raging. It is ugly, it is painful, definitely NOT comfortable. It is harder to trust in God's plan out there. How far does our trust go? We often times say, even if just to ourselves, that we'll trust God as long He doesn't "touch" this or that, as long as everything stays happy in this little square box that we call our lives. Are we willing to trust God and completely remove the little fence around our comfortable lives?
Maybe not- so sometimes God removes that fence for us. All of a sudden the sun is covered by storm clouds, our yard is pummeled with rain and hail. The wind turns everything upside down. In the midst though, God never loses control over the situation. But He asks that we still trust Him. He can see on the other side of our hardships. We can't. We can only see our current pain and suffering. Why would we not gladly choose to trust the One who KNOWS the outcome? Is it because we know that even though He knows the outcome- he also allowed the pain? It makes us angry with Him.We think He should have intervened. We think He should swoop down and save the day. Sometimes He does, and sometimes He doesn't.
If you were in your comfortable, neatly manicured, fenced in back yard- would you look beyond the fence, and with the view of the raging storm, ask Jesus to call you out into it? I am sure we would mostly say, "No- absolutely not!" But that is exactly what Peter did. He had his faults- but I greatly admire him for what he did in Matthew 14:25-33.
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.”
Peter panicked, which I know we can all relate. We do trust God- but when the waves and wind come into
our view- we panic. We panic when we worry about the "what if's", or when we face a job or income loss, when we are on the brink of divorce, or a custody battle, or when we are drowning in bills with no way out, or worrying about a prodigal son/daughter, or a health issue, maybe a terminal illness in our family, or grieving a death. Take comfort- Jesus knows. He lived on earth and even though He was fully God, He was also fully man. He understands our emotions. Peter ended up doubting- but He also asked God to call him out onto the water. He asked for God to deepen His faith and trust, that I greatly admire.
Are you going through a season where it is your turn to walk on the water? Are you being called out to meet Jesus amidst a storm? Have faith, have courage, trust in God. He knows the outcome- he's got you in the palm of His hand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw
But as I was thinking about it- One of the lines reads, "Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders", do I really desire that? I sing it to my Lord, but is it sincere? Do I want to experience situations that force me to deepen my trust in God?
We go about saying that we trust God. We trust him to care for us, and ours, in our neatly manicured fenced in yard. It may include a beautiful big shade tree, and lovely, fragrant perennials. We are happy there- comfortable. Thankful! EASY to trust God. The sun shines there. But on the other side of the white picket fence, beyond the safety of of that border, there is a storm raging. It is ugly, it is painful, definitely NOT comfortable. It is harder to trust in God's plan out there. How far does our trust go? We often times say, even if just to ourselves, that we'll trust God as long He doesn't "touch" this or that, as long as everything stays happy in this little square box that we call our lives. Are we willing to trust God and completely remove the little fence around our comfortable lives?Maybe not- so sometimes God removes that fence for us. All of a sudden the sun is covered by storm clouds, our yard is pummeled with rain and hail. The wind turns everything upside down. In the midst though, God never loses control over the situation. But He asks that we still trust Him. He can see on the other side of our hardships. We can't. We can only see our current pain and suffering. Why would we not gladly choose to trust the One who KNOWS the outcome? Is it because we know that even though He knows the outcome- he also allowed the pain? It makes us angry with Him.We think He should have intervened. We think He should swoop down and save the day. Sometimes He does, and sometimes He doesn't. If you were in your comfortable, neatly manicured, fenced in back yard- would you look beyond the fence, and with the view of the raging storm, ask Jesus to call you out into it? I am sure we would mostly say, "No- absolutely not!" But that is exactly what Peter did. He had his faults- but I greatly admire him for what he did in Matthew 14:25-33.
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.”
Peter panicked, which I know we can all relate. We do trust God- but when the waves and wind come into
Are you going through a season where it is your turn to walk on the water? Are you being called out to meet Jesus amidst a storm? Have faith, have courage, trust in God. He knows the outcome- he's got you in the palm of His hand.
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