Devotional 8-11-17

Early in the morning, he (Jesus) came walking toward them (the disciples) on the sea. . . .   And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I, do not be afraid.”  Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”  Jesus said, “Come.”  So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.  But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”  Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”  (Matthew 14: 25-31)

How many times have YOU heard about something new or different to try, or you have thought of something new or different to do, and it sounds enticing, but then those doubts you have about yourself, come creeping in, and you say to yourself, “I can’t do that!  What if I fail?”  And so that is the end of THAT story.

But what if – what if – what if this new or different thing might encourage you in your relationship with God or bring someone else to better understand about God and God’s love for them?   Do you dare try it?  Do you remember this story of Jesus and Peter, and think about the possibility that Jesus is always there, reaching out his hand and loving you through every experience, whether you can do it or whether you fail?

I was reading a science lesson about the mother eagle and her baby eagle, with my grandson Sam, and all of these pieces of this story about Peter and Jesus fell into place for me.  You see, the mother eagle just seems to know when it is time for her baby to learn to fly. So she takes her baby out of the nest and flies as high as she can go, and then she drops that baby.  The baby falls fast, for the baby has never flown before.  But the mother eagle watches her baby, and at the very last minute, she swoops down and saves her baby.  The mother eagle then flies back up as far as she can, and drops her baby again. She keeps doing this, until her baby begins to fly.

The reality is that Jesus is always present in our life, through every experience, whether it is good or bad, a success or a failure. We just forget about his presence, until we think there is a real need and cry out, “Lord, save me” or sometimes we don’t even attempt something because of our fear of failing to begin with.  Jesus is always there.  When are we going to remember and trust that He is always there, reaching out for us and loving us no matter what?

Amen and Blessings,
Rev. Suzanne Ellis