Peter... We love picking on Peter.
The loud-mouth, quick-tempered, thrice denying and faithless Peter.
Okay, maybe I'm a bit harsh with Peter.
After all, he did get off the boat and walk on water.
In Matthew 14, after ministering to a large crowd, Jesus had the disciples go to the next destination by boat while He sent away the people. Then Jesus went up the mountain to spend some time with God in prayer.
When Jesus finished, He looked out and saw the waves and winds stirring up a storm around His disciples. So He set out to meet them in the middle of their trouble.
And when the disciples beheld Jesus approaching them, they cried out, "Oh no, a ghost. Oh no!!!!"
And Jesus was all like, "Hey it's Me, chill..." as if, walking on water (insert neck roll) in the middle of a hurricane (insert side-eye) in 👏the 👏dead 👏of 👏the 👏night is an everyday occurrence; Jesus who you playin'?
I will not calm down, You walking on water!!!!
And we all know what happens next: While everyone else was still freaking out, Peter, who took Jesus at His word, called out to Him, "If it's really You, then tell me to come to You on the water."
And Jesus did. And Peter walked on water until he realized he was doing something miraculous in the middle of a hurricane in the dead of the night. And the doubts swarmed around him.
Calm down for what?! This shouldn't be happening!!!! This is impossible! I should be sinking!!!
Peter then allowed the reality of his circumstances to eclipse the supernatural phenomenon happening within him.
He began to sink and Jesus saved him with the rebuttal, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
So we write Peter off, thinking that we are so much better than him.
And for what... Because we stayed on the boat?
At least Peter had enough faith to be bold and do what Jesus called him to do.
Can we say the same?
The answer to that question has to change... at least for me.
We can't look at Peter and think, "This is how not to be a Christian."
No, we got it all types of wrong. This is the way to be a Christian because no matter how many times we fail and we fall and we don't meet the standards, we should get back up and try again like Peter did.
Because we have a Savior who has the grace and the power to enable us to do so.
Why do we stay in the boat?
Why sit at the sidelines?
Why keep watching life pass by?
Where's the fear coming from?
My name is Regine and I am Peter. I curse. I lie and cheat. I hurt people. I get mad quick. I wrestle with my doubts and wrestle with my God daily. I do not have it all together because sometimes I feel like I'm a lost case and He should give up on me.
But my God doesn't and will never let me go. Like with Peter, He made me, knowing full well the disappointments I would make. He still made me knowing I would fall and fail and not meet the standards.
He still chose me anyway. And I need to get out of the boat.
You need to get out of the boat too.
Don't listen to the naysayers or the dream-snatchers. Why would you listen to people who aren't even taking a risk?! They're still in the boat!!!! That's the only reason why they got time to share unsolicited advice with you. They got time cause they're comfortable, doing nothing impossible while you drown in a sea of endless possibilities.
You don't need to listen to them.
Besides, how do you know what they're saying?
Don't look back at the boat as if it has something for you. You stepped off of it for a reason. It has nothing for you.
Don't look back and don't look around or you'll miss the best part.
Look ahead and realize that Jesus is with you in the storm, in the trial and in the trouble. He is there for you. And He is proud of you. You trusted Him. You took the risk.
Who cares if it didn't pan out the way you thought? God had better.
Who cares if you fell? God caught you, didn't He?
Who cares if you don't have what it takes? God had you covered.
Any more excuses... 🌾👀🌾
If not, I think you should get off and stay out of the boat. Be what He called you to be.
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