HOW DEEP THE OCEAN
Throughout Christ's ministry He was performing miracle after miracle. The disciples somehow never seemed to get it. This man could do anything and would do anything under the right circumstances.
John the Baptist had just been beheaded and Jesus went to be alone in the mountains. Ironic that Jesus saw the need to have a quiet time yet most Christians just don't see the need or else they don't think they have the time to go to a solitary place to meet and talk with God. The most valuable time we can ever spend is the time we spend with God.
Of the many lessons in Mathew 14, three really stand out to me.
1. The five loaves:
Jesus said they need not depart, "give ye them to eat..."! Why would He say with such authority give ye them to eat? Doesn't that tend to indicate that they had the resources to accomplish what he told them to do? When God gives an assignment, He always, without fail, also gives the wherewithal to carry out the assignment. Jesus said feed them and the disciples, rather than proceeding to carry out the orders, answered, "with but we don't have enough." Reminds me of the TV ad on Nike, JUST DO IT. When we are given an assignment from God, we are not to concentrate on why we can't, but rather "just do it." So much time is wasted in discovering all the reasons why we can't, when we really can. Just imagine for a moment what would happen if, with each task in life, it was approached with, "Okay, here's the task, now let's make a plan and get started."
#1. Sit everyone down in rows, and leave enough room for us to walk between them.
#2. Bless the 2 fish and 5 loaves.
#3. Pass around the basket with the bread.
#4. Pass around the basket with the fish.
#5. No littering, pickup all the leftovers, and
#6. Then just do it.
Why worry about it? If God is in it, it will happen. If not, it won't. And you always know when God is in it. That still small voice inside will tell you, and if it doesn't, you better take another look. God fed the Children of Israel bread and quail when there was no flour in the camp. Elijah asks in II Kings 4:2 "What do you have?" "A pot of oil" answered the woman. Elijah did not say "is that all?" No, he said go get a bunch of vessels and let's get busy pouring.
In the book of Exodus, God said to the Children of Israel, "build me a tabernacle for me to dwell among you." I do not see where they questioned it or built it, only that it was done. There was no need for a plan because God gave the plan in detail, they only had to carry it out. When God told David to build him a temple, David didn't make any excuses, even though Solomon was the builder. Not one question except, "how can we ever build a house that can contain God and His glory." Solomon just did it. When God is in it, it will happen. How many times have you sat down to pay your bills and after asking God to bless the available funds found that there was more than you needed to pay them? Every record we have of God meeting needs, there was always leftovers except in the wilderness with the Children of Israel. God always over-supplies our needs and yet we, just like Peter, will turn around and say, "Lord if it be thy will, may I walk on water," and after He says yes, we begin to sink because we doubt that He can keep us up out of the stormy brim.
2. Peter's walk on water:
All things are possible, only believe. Peter looked at Jesus and said, "if it is you then let me walk to you on the water" and Jesus said come on. Peter made two mistakes. (1) He said prove to me that you are Christ, "If it be thou?" Peter then walked out into the storm with no problem. (2) He saw the storm and took his eyes, and trust off Christ, and began to sink. Once again, Christ proved Himself by reaching out to Peter to save him. Notice, Christ did not pick Peter up and carry him out of the storm, but rather took him by the hand and together they walked back to the ship in the storm and then the wind ceased. Even in his fear and with his lack of faith, he walked on water in the midst of the storm while just holding Jesus' hand. Christ didn't take away the storm, nor did he lift him out of the storm. He led Peter through the storm to the ship. If you can't walk by faith, at least hold on to Jesus' hand. "I'm walking on water, I can't do this, and he sank."
How unfortunate when we are strong in the faith we say give me an impossible task, then in the midst of the storm we begin to sink. What would Peter's life have been if he had continued to walk and hadn't begin to fear? What would he have accomplished? God has done similar things in my life and then I look forward to the next wave and begin to sink. Oh, that I had the faith to overcome the fear and continue to walk. Did they walk above the swells and waves or did they walk on them? For some reason I think they must have walked above them. They may have been right in the middle of them. If so, it would have certainly been an exciting ride.
3. Perfectly whole:
When they arrived at their destination, as many as touched the hem of his garment were made perfectly whole. The people of the country who did not know Christ very well had more faith in him than did the disciples who were with him all the time. Their faith in him was great enough to heal them just by touching his garment. Yet, the ones who were close to him, who had been with him and seen what he could do, doubted. With maturity, faith should grow. With maturity, doubts should subside. Too often the longer we know him the less we really know his ability.
Three examples of faith, three examples of his faithfulness and ability to meet the needs of those who trust in him. All of these examples are extremes. Feeding thousands with very little, walking on water and quieting a storm, and healing the sick were all tasks we would consider difficult; but, with Him it was a matter of "just doing it."
I love each of you so very much. In the many tasks you each face this year, why not try, "just doing it" knowing God meets the needs of those who trust in Him.
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