Get out of the boat

Today sitting in church I realized the message spoke to me and made me think about a joke that I've used for years with one of my friends.

When the show Survivor started I used to watch regularly. My friend and I would discuss all the crazy things they had to deal with and the challenges they had to do while on whatever island they happened to be that season. We talked about how crazy the people had to be to want to be on that show. We decided that given the opportunity to be a part of survivor, we wouldn't even get off the boat. Any time we would come across something we didn't want to do (that was an option) or saw others do something that we thought was crazy, we'd say, " I wouldn't even get off the boat" and we knew what the other meant.

This morning the message was in Matthew and covered Peter getting out of the boat and walking to Jesus on the water. The challenge to us was to "get out of the boat!"

I'd like to think that given the opportunity to walk on water to Jesus that I would have the faith that He would keep me safe. Thinking and doing are very different. While I think I would have the faith, I actually predict that say something more like, " are you sure?" or "yeah right" or "I can't do that". My heart says, "heck yes I'd walk on water!!" My head says,"wouldn't even get out of the boat".

Now if He asked me to walk across a tight rope with a harness on hooked to a safety line and a net underneath, sure! But have the confidence that I'll be safe on the water??? That's different. I don't even go in the ocean beyond my knees. Sea weed could reach up and grab my legs, something could bite or sting me. Knee high is safe. I can still see far enough down into the water to know that nothing is near my feet or legs. I seem to live that way too. I'm comfortable doing things to a level that I know I can see what's around me. Anything beyond what I've done before or that goes into a place I can't see or predict is very daunting. "Wouldn't even get out of the boat" used to be just a joke about Survivor, but looking at it now, has actually become a way I live life.

Now that I've established that I need to get out of the boat, I just have to figure out the method. Do I put one leg over the side and test the water with my toe, or do I do a cannon ball and know that Jesus will bring me back to the surface and get me on my feet. I guess it depends. Can I do the cannon ball with a scuba suite on? That way in case it takes a while to get to the surface I at least have air and assistance in swimming with fins. I guess if I'm doing that I might as well stay in the boat. That's about the same level of faith.

I'm so glad God is patient and works with and on us. I'm starting to pray that God will help me get out of the boat and use me for great things. Maybe he'll allow me to use floaties for the first few steps. lol