(Please read
Josh Groban turns R. Kelly and Matt 14: 22-33 first in order to understand where this blog comes from.)
…more thought on discipleship…
A spirit of fear chokes off a person’s destiny. An individual, regardless if he is a Christain or not, who lives in a spirit of bondage or fear instead in the spirit of sonship, will never “be fully awakened to his destiny” or inherit all that can be his as a son or daughter in Christ. (More on this later.)
Why did Peter take that dangerous step onto the water while the other 11 disciples sat and stared? (I can just picture the 11 bickering among themselves “Who does he (Peter) think he is? Is he crazy? He is going to drown.” Ironically, I can about promise you that their hearts were betraying their words. Their words were an attempt to hide their jealous hearts’. Hearts that hungered and desired to be the one taking ‘that step of faith’. Yet they remained glued to their seat.)
Peter was focused on Jesus. He had faith…or at least enough that initiated his abandon. But, because Peter is human just like you and me, he was soon distracted by things of this world and took his eyes off the Person he was abandoning to. This distraction opened the door to doubt. In all reality, I’m sure Peter took at least one quick glance back to those he had abandoned or left behind. (I’m more than guilty of glancing back over my shoulder.) I’m sure he even asked himself, “What in the world am I doing out here? I can’t walk on water.”
Brokenness; quickly followed by
dependence. Brokenness is something that you want; but, it hurts. In other words, “Be ware of what you pray for”! For me, it rudely ripped off pride and ego that had become my very skin. After this happens, like Peter, we are exposed in all our “unlovliness”. We are naked and realize that we, in our own strength, knowledge, etc., have absolutely nothing to offer. Peter started to drown. He realized that all he could depend on was God. The things that he abandoned didn’t/couldn’t save him nor could he save himself. Jesus was his only choice…total, utter, dependence on Jesus.
Jesus extended His hand and gently pulled Peter out of the water.
Empowerment. Once Peter realized that depending upon Jesus was the only way to live, Jesus joyfully lifted him out of his struggle and placed him upon sure footing. He was empowered to a new level in his relationship with the Lord. The level doesn’t really matter. Greater intimacy with his Savior is what counted. That intimacy strengthened his
call and it was
confirmed in his heart as he began to worship Jesus. He loved Jesus.
And get this, because Peter became vulnerable in front of the others, the 11 disciples worshiped Jesus also! As we are being discipled by the Lord, we will become natural disciplers of others as they watch the Lord work through us and change us. People are always watching…so what are they learning?
Peter was formed and shaped by his experience. While all twelve in the boat called themselves disciples, in this particular case, Peter was the only one that “offered his life” in hopes of a more intimate relationship with his Discipler. Even though he probably did not realize it at the time, He was truly living out discipleship in all it’s glory: the good, the bad, the scary, the breath-taking thrills…
