He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. Psalm 18:16
We all need rescued at times. I know I have gotten myself into some pretty sticky situations before and unfortunately have repeated the same mistakes over and over. Why do we do this to ourselves?
I was frustrated this week. I am changing roles- changing focus. New job, new ministry direction and nothing seems to be moving fast enough. In the book, Love Talk, by Les & Leslie Parrott, I realized my #1 safety need is TIME. I am a check-it-off-my-list kinda gal. Everything needs to be done YESTERDAY! So often when I find my timing and God’s timing aren’t lining up, then my mind takes over and anxiety swirls around me like a mini tornado spinning me out of control. In frustration, I look at my watch and ask God, “Do you know how much time has past since you spoke your promises in my heart? That transition, Lord, you remember? You said it was coming? YOU’RE LATE!!!”
But then there is another part of me that screams, “Can’t I just stay right here?” I wonder what must have been going through Peter’s mind when he was straddling the side of the boat with one foot still safely tuck within a place he knew well, and one toe about to dip into the complete unknown. The way the story appears, he jumped all in without thinking. No white-knuckle grip, just a full out leap (Matthew 14:28-30).
I’m there now, straddling the boat, but sheepishly admit, I don’t feel so brave. God is calling me to something new, something bigger than me. Do I jump all in? Or will I stay stuck in a place of false security and wonder why I’m so frustrated?
Sometimes we need rescued from ourselves. God’s hand is always there to catch us. Peter did it. Not flawlessly, but he did it. He stepped out completely and when he needed rescued from himself and the fear that over took him, guess who was right there? Yep, the One who always is. God’s hand is constant & never failing. Boy, do I need that reassurance sometimes. Especially now, when I am straddling this boat of known and unknowns. I know in my head that God has big plans for me and is doing a new thing in me, but my heart is still struggling to perceive it (Isaiah 43:19). It is blinded by fear.
“What if I fall?”
“What if I fail?”
“What if I totally screw all this up?”
So what if I do – God has already promised me his hand!
I don’t know when I am gonna learn that this life is a duet. I can’t but HE CAN through me! I guess I have to get the point where I jump out and abandon my comfort and my false security for the only true source of security I will ever know. God’s heart for us is unbelievably good. He wants so much more for us than we could ever imagine. I wonder how it must sadden him that so many of us spend our whole lives straddling the boat afraid to trust him and believe in his Word!
Pastor Steven Furtick said, “Sometimes we want God to do a big thing and we won’t even do the basics.”
He can’t do the big things in our lives when we are too afraid to get out of the boat. Our job is to trust and he promises to do the rest.
Step out. Abandon your fear. His hand will be there. He is the greatest RESCUER the world has ever known!
Be Blessed ~ Be a Light!