When I started this blog, I used the scripture in Matthew about Christ walking on water. At the time, I was waiting for Him to come walking across the stormy sea of my life, to reach out and rescue me, just like He did for Peter. I thought my 'fourth watch' had come, but He knew better. My fourth watch didn't come until last year; two years later. He DID come and I was sinking fast. A month or so ago, someone was relating this story about Peter walking on water in sacrament meeting. I've always loved this story because it was very reassuring that when the storms of life have begun to take over, I can reach out to Christ and He will extend His hand to me and pull me back up; save me from sinking. That Sunday when I heard the story, something clicked inside me. It occurred to me that Christ intended for Peter to WALK. ON. WATER. He intends for ME to walk on water. For all of us to walk on water. Sure, He's there to reach out and save us if/when we start to sink, but if we do, we get the same chastisement as Peter, 'O, ye of little faith'. I have always focused so much on the importance of reaching out for help when in need (an excellent lesson to learn) that I forgot that Peter's lack of faith is what got him there in the first place. He could have done it. He let fear enter his heart. Peter's FIRST lesson to me is to not do what he did, which is to let fear cast out his faith. Christ wants me to have the kind of faith it takes to walk on water. That's what he expects of me. That's what I am now trying to do each day. I'm walking on water folks, across the smooth glassy water of calm days and when the storms blow up and it seem like they want to knock me down, under the crashing waves. I like this picture because He is walking across the water, through the stormy sea... calmly showing me it CAN be done. Not walking away or toward me... simply showing me what He expects of me and where He expects me to go. He expects me to have the faith to walk through any tempest that may rage. And He will lead me through... all the way through until I arrive on the correct side of through. Closer to Him. I no longer think of this story as inspiration to reach out when I'm sinking. It has become inspiration to never hear the words, 'O, ye of little faith'. So I will keep my eyes on Him and keep walking, especially when the seas of life are rough. 'Well done' is what I want to hear and, I suspect it is what Christ would rather say to me or anyone. I am grateful to Peter for both lessons his life experience has taught me. Lesson 2 has kept me reaching out to the Savior when I am sinking. Let's face it, we all have days we feel like we are sinking. It's a lesson I will always remember. However, I have skipped over the first lesson for too long. Time to get out of boat... in fact, I've enthusiastically jumped out of the boat, come what may, and walking on water is exactly what I intend to do, in all I do.
The picture is by Julius Von Klever, it was painted in 1890. A giclee of this painting now hangs in my office. I see it 5 days a week, 9 hours a day... reminding me that I am supposed to follow Him, right across the stormy seas of life. He knows I can... He wants me to... I want to... walk on water. It's a choice. I can do this. After all, With God all things are possible.
