May 6th, 2010 
Dana Fisher But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” ~Matthew 14:30
When I was little, and less face it, even now, I tried to push the limits of what I can do. Our bodies yearn for freedom and to reach places we’ve never been. At first maybe it was taking the training wheels off but within weeks you were trying to ride that bike without hands.
I was watching a kid on the train riding in the middle of the car. There were plenty of places to sit, and plenty of places to grab a piece of the bar as a handle but he stood, legs in a wide braced stance in between the seats. We were moving along at a good pace and he was doing well for himself. Suddenly the train lurched a bit and his hand went lunging for the bar in a frantic attempt to keep his balance.
My first thought was “Why?” Why do we always need to look cool? I’m guilty of the same thing, trying to look the part rather than be different than the world we live in. I’m deceiving myself and everyone around me into thinking I’m safe.
I bet the majority of the people on that train knew that kid wasn’t safe. I bet they knew he was missing the point, that it was dangerous to not rely on the rail that was there for safety. Just like needing Jesus most people know they’re missing something but Satan has deceived them into believing that it’s everything but Jesus.
Peter’s story is a fascinating one. He starts by saying “if it’s you, tell me to come out”. He’s ready to ride alongside Jesus. But as he steps out he starts to become aware of his surroundings. He lets go of Jesus and starts to sink. He took his eyes off the one thing that was sustaining him.
For me, I know Jesus keeps me standing on my feet. I become self-confident and let go of his hand and try walking on my own for a bit, assured that I know where I’m headed. Without fail, I find myself sinking. I’m heading down the wrong path, outside the reach of his hand. When the train lurches I’m nowhere near the handle and look far foolish than when I began.
This is the point where unbelievers look at us and say “See, I told you it doesn’t work. You had to reach out!” If we had been holding on the entire time maybe we’d be better witnesses to a dying and confused world.
Someone once said to me, “I don’t need church. The only people who go to church are the ones who need a crutch.” You better believe I need a crutch! I need that handle 24/7 because I am only a weak human man incapable of anything apart from God.
I’m learning to Grab hold of Jesus from the start, before I start sinking to avoid Him having to pull me up so often. Who cares what the world thinks? When the train starts lurching, and I don’t move, they’ll see the rock on which I stand is solid ground.
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