Walking On Water

Our Sunday School theme for the month of October is 'Becoming More Christlike'.

Such a simple statement, right?  Yet, there are so many ways to explore that simple admonition.

Things like honesty, charity, kindness, meekness, love, humility, etc come to mind when I think of being Christ like. The most important thing though is the 'being' part. It does no one any good just to know what they are. In simple terms, living them leads to a happy life.  It doesn't mean life is without trials, but it does mean we can get through them and that it's worth getting through them.

I know so many people with Christlike qualities that I look up to.  My aunt.  Various friends.  People I knew when I was a missionary, Hub and the kids, and many, many others.

I could spend weeks exploring the topic and have gobs left to learn.

This week, though I tried to narrow it down and in class we talked about acting vs re-acting.  Our 'Circle of Influence vs. Our Circle of Concern'.  We decided there are a lot of things we just can't control.  Things like politics, the weather, what people say about us.  We can control things like our attitudes, our reactions, the words that come out of our mouths, how we feel about ourselves.

Christ acted.  He didn't make excuses, He just did.  He was rooted in truth and so His actions reflected that.

I had an epiphany about half way through the lesson and I'm telling you, I get way more out of this calling than the kids ever will.

Christ didn't call men to be his Disciples who were in a perfect position to do the job.  They weren't sitting on the couch at home waiting for the phone to ring or the knock on the door.

Peter was a Fisherman.  I don't know much about the fishing industry but I'm no dumb-bell either.  I'm sure he fished at all hours, in all seasons and on many days when he would have liked to be home on the couch. He probably worried about payments, and buyers, and supplies, and least of all his family.  I'm sure his muscles ached at the end of the day.  I think it's safe to assume he wasn't lazy.

Matthew 14

22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to ^apray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25 And ^ain the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good^acheer; it is I; be not afraid.

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was ^aafraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little ^afaith, wherefore didst thou^bdoubt?

32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

I think it shows a glimpse of Peter's character to number one, want to be where Christ was.  And number two, he may have had some hesitation but he wanted to do what Christ was doing.  Walking on water, or doing the impossible.

How amazing those first steps must have been!  How thrilling to be in that moment.  The confidence, the empowerment, the feeling must have been exhilarating.  

I wonder what he felt when he was afraid.  Was it fear of drowning?  I doubt it.  He was a fisherman and around water all day.  Fear of what others would say?  Maybe.  Fear of his view of reality and what he viewed as possible vs impossible?  Did he hear the negative whisperings we all hear sometimes?

You can't. You're not good enough. No way. Not a chance. You're not worth something great.

You can't. You can't. You can't.

Was the boisterous wind loud like the distractions like so many of us face today?  Could he see it coming? Did he ever lose sight of the Savior?  Was that the fear he felt?  The scriptures say when Peter asked for help, Christ immediately stretched forth His hand.

Peter believed in Christ and I think more importantly, he believed Christ.  And kept walking.  

Here's my epiphany...

I think we're all faced with 'Walking on Water' moments in our lives. Things that we, or everyone else tells us are impossible.  Higher education, parenthood, employment.  Health issues, relationship issues.

I'm so grateful for God's hand watching over me.  I've felt the spirit's protection more that once.  I face challenges that I know God doesn't stop even though He could. I am supposed to grow in this life and I know it.  I try to focus on what I might learn instead of the angst of the situation.  Sometimes I get discouraged though, and often I look at those challenges and immediately make a mental list of all the reasons why I'm not going to succeed.  I'm too this way, I'm not enough that way.

Discouragement is one of Satan's greatest tools.

I have been amazing a time or two (to be specific 3 at the very least) in my life.  Sometimes as a wife and mother I fall short and let myself down.  I pray every day, many times a day that I'll have the strength, the words and the knowledge to help us all get where we need to be.  I think that's part of it too.  We're all here to help each other.  I'm absolutely thankful for the people I can lean on when I need them.  Often, they don't even know they've helped me out.

I'm thankful for the way I was raised.  By good people, with different view points, experiences and knowledge.  People who taught me to have faith in God and get to work to make good things happen.

Christ is there waiting, standing in the middle of our oceans, telling us to come to Him.  Telling us what we think is impossible really isn't. Do not fear, do not doubt. Start walking, keep moving. For every time I tell myself I can't, He is there telling me to have faith and believe.

I need to remember that.