Simple Devotions
For the Complex Life

Sinking like the Titanic

One of my favorite church bulletin bloopers is one that announces not only the church services, but also the view held by many Christians today. The bulletin reads:

10am Service: Jesus Walks on Water
Tonight's Workshop: Searching for Jesus...

As Christians, we get so perplexed by our lives. We're not sure what where we are suppose to go, what we are suppose to do, or even what we are suppose to say. We look around, and we try to find the right answers, but instead of finding them, we only get more lost.

A friend of mine gave a sermon on what he thought was 'The biggest problem with Christians today.' He said that the biggest problem with Christians today is not that they don't go to church, or even that many don't read the Bible on a regular basis. He said the biggest problem Christians have today, is that they don't have enough "Faith."

We don't have faith that God is in control of our lives, and instead we try to solve the very same problems He already has the answers for. We stress ourselves about what we are suppose to do, instead of letting Him lead us. We trust more in ourselves to do things, than we do in God.

And just like the bulletin illustrates, we forget that Jesus didn't sink on the water, but rather the disciple who lacked faith. And when the disciple lost his faith, and when he started sinking in the water, falling without any hope... Jesus was still there to do the impossible. Jesus was there to hold him above the water, and to lead him back to safety.

The difference between Peter, and many Christians today, is that instead of grabbing on to Jesus, we try to fight our way back to the boat. We put more faith in ourselves, than in Jesus, and we try to fight a battle we cannot win by ourselves.

Imagine if Peter had let go of Jesus, and tried to swim back to the boat; imagine him trying to fight the raging waves and the pulling current. Instead of making it back to the boat, he would only have become more discouraged; before finally being pulled under. Discouraged like so many of us have become today.

What I find interesting, is that Jesus didn't pull up Peter and say, "Wow, that was a close one." He didn't even say, "Whew, good thing you trusted me!" Instead, Jesus looked right at Peter, just as he does at all of us today, and says, "You of Little Faith! Why did you doubt?"

Jesus is asking us today, Why are you afraid? Why are you worried? Don't you understand that I am here with you (Matt 28:20), that I will protect you (Deut 31:8)? I already have a plan for you (Jer 1:5), and I will lead you, if you will follow me... if you will put your faith in me, and TRUST me.

Trusting God isn't something you can just say, or something you can talk about. Trusting God is something you have to do. You have to trust that he will protect you, and lead you... you have to trust that he will not let you go astray. Trusting God is letting go of your worries, and letting him handle it. Trusting God is remembering that there is nothing that He cannot take care of, and there is nothing He cannot fix.