Why are we so afraid?!
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God!" (Matt 14:25-33)
Yes! Why are we so afraid?! Why am I afraid of spreading the Gospel, or afraid of responding to my calling?
You know what!? When Jesus walked on water Peter was the first to respond. Was this because he was impulsive? Peter was in everything he did obedient, and obedience is when you say "Yes, Father, I will" without challenging it in any manner when He calls you. In Mark 16, after Jesus had risen, the two Angels said to Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome to go and tell the following:
"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' “(Mark 16:6-7)
Peter was important to Jesus! Peter was the one stepping out of the boat! We got stuck at the part where Peter failed by sinking because of his little faith. But do you
know what, he tried and failed. Even though he failed by stepping out, the other disciples stayed in the boat! They also failed!
And the crux is that everybody is going to die one day, so if we fail on the water or fail by staying in the boat, we are going to die! So impulsive or not, Peter still stepped out of his comfort zone and failed publically...in front of all the disciples! That is way different than saying he was impulsive.
Am I willing to do the same? Am I willing to step out and do full time missions and fail, or am I going to stay in "my engineer boat" and also fail? Am I going to disobey God and reject my calling from God "to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?" (Is 58:6-7)
God is Love, and He promises never to not-love us, but when we are disobedient He sometimes stands back a bit or God will react in the same way he did with Saul. In 1 Samuel 15 God asked Saul through Samuel why, when he was King, did he not obey His command? Saul had to totally destroy the Amalekites, but Saul decided to keep king Agag alive and spare the best of the oxen and sheep for sacrifice. Saul was disobedient, even though he had good intentions. According to the Bible disobedience is an act of Satan, or a principle of Satan.
Observe what God says about Saul's disobedience.
Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: "I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the Lord all that night. (1 Sam 15:10-11) But Samuel replied: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king." (1 Sam 15:22-23)
Wow! That is powerful! Is that what God thinks of us when we disobey Him?
Coming back to Peter, why do you think after Jesus's resurrection the woman had to go and tell the disciples... and Peter? Why Peter? It’s because Peter was important to Jesus. Jesus knew at the day of the Pentecost He could depend on Peter to start the first church! Peter was always obedient! Wow!
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (Acts 2:40-41)
Will I respond to God's call!?
Definitely! I will rather fail by stepping out of the boat!
This message was given to the team in India, and God spoke to me on that day about the same message of Jesus and Peter through a song: Storm - Lifehouse, which has the same meaning!
Please enjoy this Video!
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DldDUDa871U&feature=youtu.be 400x400]