Not To Drown You

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well. Matthew 14:22-36

The focal point of this story is usually Peter walking on water. Which, I will admit, is pretty awesome and worth paying attention to. But there are some incredible truths sandwiching that miracle that we ought to take notice of.

Did anyone notice that Jesus sent his disciples without him into a terrible storm???  We've all been there before, we've heard the voice of the Lord and obeyed, only to find ourselves in the midst of chaos and pain. And we ask ourselves, if He knew there would be a storm why not have them go later or not at all? And why on earth would he not go with them??? It's hard for us to wrap our minds around God sending us into harms way. We don't want to believe that God would put us in a place of trial and affliction. And it's a fine theological line to walk but I think we have proof enough here that there are times that he will in fact send us right into the middle of a storm.


And that truth without the rest of the story would be a tough pill to swallow indeed. But, there's more....

How powerful those words are, "When they had crossed over..." Yes, he sent them into the storm and it was scary and it was difficult and they feared for their lives. But, as he is known to do, he showed up. He delivered them and many more as they reached the other side.

I don't know what stormy sea you might find yourself in the middle of right now but I know one thing for sure, though you may be tossed about and surrounded by fog unable to see, God who sent you there, did not do so with the intention of drowning you.

It will be a difficult journey and just when you want to give up, He'll ask you to trust Him even more and call you out on the waters but, you. will. not. drown.

So when you arrive at Gennesaret, whose original name means "garden of riches" you can expect great things, like the healings of multitudes. As we so often find that our trials are meant not only to birth new life in us but in those around us as well.

I know you can't see him, and are painfully aware that he sent you out BEFORE him into a most difficult circumstance but you can be sure that he will come and that he will deliver you. You can trust him, know that he is good and cling to him. Just as the disciples did, cry out to him and as Peter did, fix your gaze on him.

It's easy to think God is absent or uncaring when all we see are crashing waves. But He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. Present, on time, loving, faithful. Dear one, He did not call you out to drown you. He will come. He will get you to other side. And then...the miracle. Hold on, keep your eyes on Him and wait expectantly.

He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.        
 Psalm 18:19

Quiet Miracles

Sometimes the miracle is a quiet one.


We are quick to recognize cancer healed, relationships restored, rain in a seemingly endless drought as miracles. When something we never expected and had lost the ability to hope for happens we easily proclaim the miraculous. 

But then there are the quiet, everyday, "small" miracles that we might miss if we don't know to look for them. 

How many of us upon reading the story of the birth of Christ, skim over it because we know how it goes and it's the same story we read last year, right? And really what's so remarkable about a baby born in a barn?

I was reading Matthew chapter one today and literally breezed right over the words, "for he will save his people from their sins". Yea, yea, we all know... and my eyes wander over the words again. There is no greater miracle. And yet, he came quietly, in a stable, unnoticed and unremarkable.

And I have to wonder how many quiet miracles I miss everyday?

God would you help us see the miracle in the seemingly small and insignificant, in the mundane, in those we pass by without second thought, in our work, our loved ones, our places of doubt and fear, where there is joy and contentment, from the darkest to the lightest places, help us to see. Amen.


"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.'"

One Step Closer

The appointment was scheduled for 4pm. Pick up time was 3pm. She was supposed to call me with the address so I could leave my office by 2pm. As the hour approached, my heart began to sink, she wasn't going to call, we weren't going to make the appointment and she would continue on in the life.

Discouragement is peering around the door, waiting for the right moment to strike. Seeking the perfect time to tell me that nothing ever changes, that I should just give up. But then I remember... I remember the last two years of knowing her. I remember that at first we had short conversations on the street, which led to text messages, which led to phone calls, which led to long talks at McDonalds in the middle of the week, which led to making appointments to get the help she needed. And though she isn't there yet, she is one step closer and that is the miracle. Yes, the miracle is in the end result of finding freedom but the miracle is also every step along the way.

God has been encouraging my heart with this verse lately, "Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him." Isaiah 30:18 As believers we think a lot about waiting on the Lord, it's all over the scriptures and we all have seasons where we are called to wait. But what we think about less often, is how God is waiting for us. The beginning of this verse tells us that God is waiting for us, to show us grace and mercy. It gives the picture that there are gifts of grace waiting for us if we will just come to Him in humility, with empty and open hands, ready to receive.

You can imagine that after suffering abuse from family, from strangers, being taken from her home, being trafficked and exploited, her perceptions of God would be skewed. She would see Him as punishing or distant, as withholding or unloving. As I praise God that she is in fact one step closer, I pray that she will begin to see God for who He is; a God of justice, who longs to be gracious to her. That in learning who He is and believing, she will be able to take another step, and another, and another...

One Thousand Gifts

"Eucharist (thanksgiving) is the state of the perfect man. Eucharist is the life of paradise. Eucharist is the only full and real response of man to God's creation, redemption and the gift of heaven." 'He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.' Psalm 50:23 Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis. But it also holds its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning "joy"...so then as long as thanks is possible...joy is always possible. Eucharisteo-thanksgiving-always precedes the miracle."

I'm really loving this book (One Thousand Gifts). It is the culmination of a message the Lord has been speaking, perhaps shouting, to my heart over the last several months, "the fullness of life is found in thanksgiving". 

In response to this message I have started my own list of 1,000 gifts, 1,000 blessings and reasons to give thanks. From the sunset to a cup of tea, to a gentle breeze, I'm purposing to take notice of God's grace in the midst of my day. 

Part two...

In reading further, I discovered the author asking me to enter in with her to the hard practice of offering thanks when our hearts are broken, when we are frustrated and scared, when we don't understand the ways of our Father. Because after all, if God is gracious, is he not gracious in that which brings me, great joy as well as that which wrings my heart in agony? 
So my list is growing faster because I'm not only thankful for sunsets and snuggles but I'm choosing to be thankful for uncertainty, anxiety, disappointment. I'm choosing to rejoice always as the Scriptures tell us to trusting that as Isaiah 64 says, He will meet me there. And isn't that the fullness of joy? His presence.