Thursday, February 16, 2006
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Walking On Water
I can't walk on water.
According to the New Testament and the words of Christ, the ONLY reason I can't walk on water is because I don't believe I can.
"....why did you doubt?" Matthew 14:31
Why would I believe I could?
I've never seen anyone actually do it.
I've never seen anyone really even try to do it.
But I was reading in a book lately about it. The author was suggesting that we have only forgotten how, not that we can't. The idea is intriguing to me.
There's that story of Peter....he did it for awhile, but then he began to doubt.
I guess I say I believe I can walk on water because Jesus did it. Peter did it for a minute. If I really believed it, I could do it too.
I was at a retreat lately, sitting on the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe. I am contemplating the idea of walking on water. I only brought one pair of shoes for the weekend. Hiking boots. Wet boots are absolutely no fun to wear. But here I am sitting on the shore thinking I am going to try. I could do it if I believed I could. I'm sort of irritated at myself for not being able to, after all I say I believe Jesus and He thinks it's a piece of cake.
So I start really thinking it through.
I'll take off my boots...........
GAME OVER.
If I need to protect my only pair of footwear for the weekend, I don't really believe it will work. Therefore, it won't.
I wonder how many other things I could put in place of the phrase "walk on water" in this story. I wonder how many things Jesus offers to me that I can't believe and therefore can't realize.
I can't walk on water.
Not yet anyway.