Responding to the call

²² Immediately He directed the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side [of the Sea of Galilee], while He sent the crowds away. ²³ After He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was there alone.²⁴ But the boat [by this time] was already a long distance from land, tossed and battered by the waves; for the wind was against them. ²⁵ And in the fourth watch of the night (3:00-6:00 a.m.) Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear.²⁷ But immediately He spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I! Do not be afraid!” ²⁸ Peter replied to Him, “Lord, if it is [really] You, command me to come to You on the water.” ²⁹ He said, “Come!” So Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw [the effects of] the wind, he was frightened, and he began to sink, and he cried out, “Lord, save me!” ³¹ Immediately Jesus extended His hand and caught him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” ³² And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. ³³ Then those in the boat worshiped Him [with awe-inspired reverence], saying, “Truly You are the Son of God!” (Matthew 14:22-33)

Trust means to have a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.

Faith means to have complete trust or confidence in someone or something (especially in those things not evident in the natural).

Seeing that God is sovereign, meaning He is faithful, all Truth, more than able, strong and mighty, then we should easily be able to trust in Him, therefore having faith in Him.

Yet, we struggle.

Why is that?

It all starts with belief.

Belief is defined as an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists.

Many will say that they believe God exists and that He is God. Some will say that they believe Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God and that He is the Messiah. But how many ACCEPT this as TRUTH? What I mean is, how many people believe that God is ALL that He says He is. Or that He will do ALL that He says He will do? How many people believe that the Bible is the Word of God? 

I could make a list a million miles long to describe everything He is and it still wouldn’t be a complete list.

In Ephesians 3:16-19 Paul teaches “¹⁶ May He [God] grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, ¹⁸ be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; ¹⁹ and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

Most people do not understand WHO GOD IS because they have not become rooted and grounded in love, IN HIM, thus forfeiting the fullness of Him in their lives.

People say “I believe God is God, but I don’t know what that means, or how that applies to me.”

God made it simple for our minds when he said “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14).

Our inability to understand WHO HE IS alters our perception of Him and thus causes struggles in our ability to fully trust Him.

That is why God has given us access through His Spirit. His Holy Spirit comes to dwell in the believer, the saved, the redeemed of Christ. His Spirit leads us (John 16:13), teaches us (John 14:26), and helps us (John 16:7). God’s Holy Spirit reveals to us God’s truth and makes intercession for us when we cannot pray as we should (Romans 8:26-27).

So in our weaknesses, He is our strength (2 Corinthians 12:9-11).

Our weakness can even include the ability to trust. Many times I have struggled with trust. I brought to God my broken view of trust because of the things people had done to me. And God looked at that brokenness and said, “I’ll make you all new.”

He has faithfully been with me in the good and hard times. He has built and strengthened my trust in Him step by step and brick by brick. And by His building of my trust, my faith in Him has increased.

So small at first, my faith was like a newborn baby, fragile and vulnerable. But God never abandoned me in my weakened state. He has faithfully nurtured me and kept me.

He can and will do the same for you .

You know why?

Because He loves you! 

None of us would even be here if it were not for God’s unstoppable love. His love that endured such wrath from His creation. God knew what was going to happen to Jesus even before His birth, and yet He sent Him anyway. Even God willed it to happen so that His great love for us would shine brightly through His plan of redemption (Acts 2:22-24).

Knowing all of this, it is not so difficult to respond to God’s call. His call of obedience. His call of purpose. His call of loving in the face of hatred and wrath. His call of serving others. His call of denying ourselves to follow Him. His call to endure trials and persecutions all in His name. His call to have faith when everything around us is seems to be out of control.

You see, it isn’t so hard to trust God when you come to know Him personally. When you are in relationship with the LORD, all fears are calmed in knowing that He is in control and that He has unbreakable promises of good towards His children.

We just have to learn to push aside ourselves and keep in mind that though God’s great plan has you and me in it, it’s not about you or me or anyone else. It’s all about Him.

Here lately I have been tempted to ask God “Why?” certain things happening and “When?” is He going to come rescue us? But in the stillness I remember His truth. I remember everything He has already brought me through and delivered me from. Did that rescue happen immediately? No. Not once. But it was through the trial, through my doubts, through my pain, through my lack of understanding, through my loss that His presence was with me the strongest and I came to know Him in ways that I would never have known if I hadn’t been through those situations.

Right now things don’t look to pretty on the surface.

I immediately think of the disciples out on the boat in the storm. Things LOOKED bad!

But when Peter knew that it was Jesus walking out on those waves, he called out to Him. And you know what? Jesus called back. He said “Come!”

So Peter responded to the call. He stepped out of that boat, and with His eyes on the LORD he started walking on that wild water! But it wasn’t long before his gaze slipped to his surroundings. His faith wasn’t strong enough because his trust wasn’t complete, and his trust wasn’t complete because he didn’t fully know WHO he was trusting!

He knew enough, had trust enough, to call out to Jesus for help, but when placed safely back in the boat Peter and the other disciples had revelation that Jesus truly was and is the Son of God.

We go through the same process. We know enough of Jesus Christ to call out to Him in times of trouble and distress, but often we don’t have the trust and faith to believe past what we are seeing and experiencing.

Don’t let this storm, this current trial, stop you from believing. It has come so that you may have a deeper revelation of WHO GOD IS! The storm has come to strengthen your trust, thereby strengthening your faith. God didn't create the storm, but He saw it coming. And in Him you are kept. In Him you are strong. In Him you can endure. In Him you come THROUGH the storm!

Let God’s process be fulfilled in your life.

“…He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].” (Philippians 1:6)

The storm may seem stronger than previous storms. The trials may seem harder and closer together, but I truly believe that is because Jesus is returning very soon! And there is a lot of work to be done in us and through us CHURCH! Let us not fear the trials and tribulations we must face. Through it all, may we let God work in us so that His glory will shine through us.

Jesus himself, while still on this earth said “⁴ We must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.” (John 9:4)

If were are to follow in His footsteps, then let us have that same urgency!

Father God, thank You for the time you have given us. Thank You for our lives, our new lives in You! LORD I pray help us to fulfill Your purposes, Your will on this earth while we are still here to do it. Help us, Your children, to endure the things we must endure, all the while representing You and Your love, truth, and mercy to the Lost of this world. And God most of all, I thank You and bless You for all that You are and all that You do. I pray Your will be done this day and forever, Amen!