Lent 3 and 4

Disclaimer: Youth event Friday and Saturday kept me away from internet access. I still wrote, but I'm posting those two now.

Walking on Water (Friday, March 11)

And Peter answered him, “Lord if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

While talking to a group of youth tonight about Peter, Peter’s journey, and an earnest desire to follow Jesus, this scene came to me in a new way. It hit me like a sack of bricks, actually. We’ve heard this story a million times. Peter sees Jesus walking on the water and Jesus invites him to join him. And then he got out of the boat, walked on the water for a moment, but then got scared and started to sink.

Tonight, reading this story again, I connected to it in a way I never have before. Here’s the scene I pictured. Peter (looking out across the water) says, “Hey, Jesus, is that you? If it’s you, call me out there and help me do what you’re doing.” “Come.” A simple, serious command. Come. Peter steps out on the water and walks across to Jesus. Practicing the secret to balance (don’t look down, focus on where you’re going), Peter’s eyes were fixed on the eyes of Jesus. He made it, on top of the water, all the way out there. I’ve always taken the story at face value..Peter got distracted by the wind and the waves and all of a sudden got scared. But what if before the distraction came the pride? Peter says, “Hey Jesus, this is amazing. I’m on top of the water. Look at me. Look at what I can do. Hey guys, I’m walking on water..” And when he became focused on himself, his own “coolness”, his own ability, he noticed that the wind and the waves were all around him. And he started to sink. And still…STILL, Jesus reached out a hand to save him.

I’ve been struggling this week with some things. Actually, I’ve been struggling with them for quite some time. There are some things I need to do to follow what I believe in my heart to be God’s call. And for so long, I’ve put it off, put it away, and now I feel overwhelmed by all that I’ve pushed away. I keep asking myself, over and over and over, why have I let it get this far? The answer: fear. I’ve been under the false impression that what I’m doing, what I’m working towards is something I’m doing on my own. Look at me. I have to do this. I have to do this on my own. Of course I’m scared when I think I’m out there on my own. But God didn’t say “Come!” on your own. God says, “Come.” And when God asks us to do things, it’s not do them on our own but to participate in what God is doing in us.

But still, Jesus reaches out a hand.
 




Disciple Now (Saturday, March 12)

Seeing God today was easier than it’s ever been, I think. From getting up in the morning and greeting the day with joy and love to a great Bible study to some wonderful fellowship to worthwhile missions to fantastic fellowship to heartfelt worship… We, as Christians, are called to bear witness to Jesus Christ who was and is and is to come and to help one another and the world see glimpses of the kingdom of God in the here and now and bear hope for the good future in God. As exhausted as I am, I know that’s what I’ve seen today. In study, we learned the Christ who was, the one who lived and died and was resurrected. In fellowship, the light of the living Christ came through the youth and adult leaders in the true joy and love they showed. And watching them (and participating with them) in service to the community today was a great symbol of hope for the good and final future promised to us. These young people leaned into the community, giving of themselves, doing work and sharing in conversation in ways that seemed more mature than I would have expected from them.

A brief post today, but all I need to say is that today I saw the living God who was and is and is to come…everywhere.