How to walk on water

Jesus walked on water. It really happened.  He is Lord over all science, "logic," nature, the whole kit and kaboodle.  He can do anything because He is God.

Peter walked on water, too.  

Now here's where it gets interesting!  Peter was a human being, just like you and me.  Peter was not God.  We are not God.

Yet there he was!  Walking on the water toward Jesus!  How did he do it?  And the bigger question is, how do we do it?  Because if Peter was human and walked on water, and we are human - then we, too, can walk on water, right?  

Was it a matter of faith?  Was it a matter of Jesus' calling on his life?  

Peter was impulsive.  He seemed to act before he thought.  In this case, it served him well!  He wasn't thinking about anything other than running toward Jesus and that is how he walked on water!!!

Where he goofed up is when he took his eyes off of Jesus, lost focus, and looked at the waves instead.  

Now the waves were every bit as real as Jesus.  The waves had power and were probably strong enough to knock Peter over and drown him.

But the waves were not all-powerful.  Jesus is all-powerful.  

What "waves" are getting the best of you?  I don't know about you, but they sure can seem mighty powerful in my life.

Here is a short list of the "waves" that threaten me and can get my focus off of Jesus:

Fear
Doubt
Worry
The future
Foes
Circumstances
Distractions
Comparing

Ring any bells for you?

Oh all of these are very real.  So I am not suggesting denial.

But what if, just what if, we chose to keep our focus on Jesus instead?  Is this even possible?!

Well it worked for Peter!  And I'm certain that if Peter kept his gaze on Jesus that he would have walked the entire distance to Jesus on water.  He only sank when he took his eyes off of Jesus. Same for us.

Focus is very powerful.  We must work on getting it back.  Maybe you are already good at it.  But if we're honest, if we're old enough to remember life pre-internet, we know that the internet and our time spent there has drastically reduced our ability to focus. 

Now you might be thinking, Sure.  It was easy for Peter because Jesus was right there in person.  And I believe that is partly true.

But!  Jesus tells us that we are blessed when we believe without seeing.  It's called faith!

"Jesus said to him, 'Because you have seen Me, have you now believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.'"  John 20:29

I believe this takes practice, discipline - especially after years of "training" ourselves to be distracted.

The eye of the hurricane is calm and still.  Now I'm sure there is a scientific explanation for this.  But God is Lord over all weather, so He made it that way!  He didn't have to, but He did.

So this tells me that there can be a calm for us, too, in the middle of our storms, amidst the waves.  It is supernatural.  We can't create it for ourselves or imagine it.  But God can provide it as only He can.

Oh how I want this in my life, in my soul!  Who wouldn't want to walk on water?!  How cool is that?!

So there is no 3-step process for how to walk on water.  It is simpler than that.  Here is how we walk on water:

Focus on Jesus.

That's it!

Walking on water is defying all common sense.  
Walking on water makes no sense.
Walking on water is fun!
Walking on water is possible with Jesus.

Walking on water, though it really happend in the physical for Jesus and Peter, can also be a metaphor for doing the impossible, whatever it may be.

So whatever "waves" we are facing - either monumentally or in every little small, daily way - know that we can and will "walk on water" when we focus on Jesus.  And keep focusing on Him!  Keep bringing our thoughts captive in obedience to Him.  Keep coming back with your gaze to Him.  Take it off of Netflix and put it back on Him!  Take it off of your problems and put it back on Him!

We can choose.

I'm ready to put this into practice!  You?

Dear Jesus.  It thrills me to know that You walked on water!  Alleluia!  But the fact that Peter also walked on water is even more mind-blowing, because he was a frail, flawed, fragile human being just like me.  Lord, forgive me when I take my eyes off of You.  Please help me to return my gaze to You throughout the day, Lord Jesus, so that I, too, can walk on water!  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.