I spend a lot of my time in the car. Don’t ask me why, but I do. My best ideas happen in the car. My best prayers are cried out in the drivers seat. Some of my best conversations happen when my hands are ten and two. As I was driving home from Southern California, the phrase “get off the boat” flooded my mind.
Get off the boat.
There could be a possibility that you have heard that phrase before in a sermon series. To me it sounds like a catchy Sunday sermon title. As I continued on my drive home I just didn’t understand why “get off the boat” was in my mind and what God was wanting to share with me.
As I was stuck on the 405, the most dreaded freeway to be on in Southern California due to its length and bumper to bumper traffic, I starting asking God questions. “Lord, what does this mean? What boat are You talking about?” He knew I was going to be on that road for awhile, so this was an appropriate time to speak with me.
He reminded me of Peter – the disciple who walked on water. But before Peter walks on water, the disciples had just witnessed an incredible miracle of Jesus feeding five thousand people. Their view of Jesus became even bigger. Jesus asks the disciples to do something wild – He wants them to feed the crowd. “With what?!!!” they ask (& probably freak out a bit). Jesus blesses the food and BOOM! They are able to feed the people. Could you imagine that? Could you imagine what the disciples were feeling at the moment?
But the story continues and Jesus immediately insists that the disciples get on the boat and cross the lake (Matthew 14:22).
Back to the boat. See, they were fishermen so spending time on a boat was normal. They were probably really good at what they did. Their job supported them. It could of possibly been the first job they had ever held. It was a second language to them – like driving a car to us. It came naturally.
Rough waters came and they were in trouble. But here comes Jesus walking on water. If they had an iPhone, a picture would of been posted on Instagram with the hashtag #jesuswalksonwater. Jesus calls out to Peter and tells him to come out and meet Him. But Peter’s faith wasn’t enough and began to sink.
Here’s the thing: the boat that I’m in is my comfort zone – it’s the life that I’ve created. And God is calling out “get off the boat.” My boat looks like this: college graduate living with my parents in a small town/substitute teacher/going with the flow. Yet I dream of bigger things. I dream that God will send me to incredible places. And here He is saying: get off the boat.
“But Lord, I just don’t know where to start in building Your Kingdom.” “I’m not that talented.” “I need to save money.”
Those are excuses I make. My view of God has become so small because I haven’t let Him fully use me. I’ve let fear and lies get in the way of the truth. Hebrews 13:20-21 says, “Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.” There is POWER with Jesus. I can get off the boat and do His Will and have faith that He will support me.
May our view of God become greater when we understand that He will equip us when we feel so inadequate. May His power flood our minds so that we may “get off the boat” and keep our focus on Him without our fears and excuses stopping us. May His truth be a stamp on our hearts so that we can go out and accomplish His work.
Amen.