Get Out of the Boat

Jesus is still looking for people who will get out of the boat. Why risk it? I believe there are many reasons: 1)It is the only way to real growth. 2) It is the way true faith develops. 3) It is the alternative to boredom and stagnation that causes people to wither up and die. 4) It is part of discovering and obeying your calling.
I believe there are many good reasons to get out of the boat. But there is one that trumps them all: The water is where Jesus is. The water may be dark, wet, and dangerous. But Jesus is not in the boat. The main reason Peter got out of the boat is that he wanted to be where Jesus was. Matthew keeps referring to this reality. Peter's request is, "Lord, if it's you, command me to come to you." Then Peter got out of the boat "and came towards Jesus."
Because Peter did this, both he and his friends came to a deeper understanding of their Master than ever before. They came to see more than ever that they could place their destinies in his hands with confidence. "It's like this, dudes..."
They understood that the One in their boat was the One along who treads the waves of the seas-and they worshiped him.
How about you? When was the last time you got out of the boat?
I believe that God's general method for growing a deep, adventuresome faith in us is by asking us to get out of the boat. More than hearing a great talk, or reading a great book, God uses real-world challenges to develop our ability to trust in him.
We tend to seek a world of comfort. We try to construct manageable lives with some security and predictability to maintain the illusion that we are in control.
Then God "pass us by" and shakes everything up. The call to get out of the boat involves crisis, opportunity, often failure, generally fear, sometimes suffering, always the calling to a task too big for us. But there is no other way to grow faith and to partner with God.

-If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat- John Ortberg

Christian Twitch

"I remember in an airport in Kansas City years ago, waiting for a plane, I fell into conversation with a fellow from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. He was in this county completing a monograph, a study on the influence of the conversation between doctors and nurses with the patient in surgery who is under anesthesia. His view was, in fact, that he had established it beyond all doubt. He found that if the doctors and nurses were negative and gripey and grumpy, then the patient in postoperative conditions was depressed and pessimistic. If the doctors and nurses were upbeat, happy, merry, and cheerful, then the patient in postoperative care was euphoric and optimistic and proceeded to recover quickly. The time came when I had to catch my plane. I thanked him for the conversation, and he said, 'Why, are you a doctor?' I said, 'Oh, no, I'm a preacher. But if it'll work in surgery, it'll work in the sanctuary.' So when I go somewhere to speak, and people are asleep, it doesn't' bother me, because I know that several days later they may get a little Christian twitch. They won't know what caused it, but I'll know.'
-Fred Craddock- Craddock Stories

I loved that story from Fred. Not that anyone would ever fall asleep during one of my sermons! I liked the story too because it reminds me that you never know when the Spirit can come into your life. That is why it is so important to be ever vigilant in your faith life. Find time to connect with God, because when you do you'll open yourself up to more and more experiences with the Spirit. The more time we spend in communion with God then the more ability we'll have to see the Spirit working in our lives and in the world. We'll get that twinge and know that it's the Spirit and not last nights burrito! If you want to be good at anything you have to practice at it. If you want your faith to be a bigger part of your life then you need to practice it. God is truly all around us. We just need to open our eyes and recognize.