We Are Meant to Walk on Water
Sunny Day by Efrem Zverkov
There is magic in this picture. It's a landscape cut through by a frozen river. I grew up in a cold place that got lots of snow and I can remember being just like these three kids. The rivers and lakes would freeze solid and we would defiantly "walk on the water" -- above the currents which were still moving many feet below the ice. We'd blaze a trail down the center of the river just like these kids are doing with reckless abandon.
Walking on top of the water gives us a new perspective of the land (circumstances) around us. Do you know that walking on the water is how we were meant to walk? When the exhausted disciples saw Jesus walking to their storm tossed boat on top of the water they were terrified. Impetuous Peter called out to Jesus, "Lord if it's you, command me to come to you on the water!" Jesus responded to Peter with one word - "Come."
To Peter's credit he got out of the boat and started to walk. With his eyes on Jesus he walked on top of the water! Wow! But then he started to look around at the strong winds and the high waves and just as quickly he started to sink.
"Lord save me!" Peter screamed. And the Lord reached out his hand to catch hold of Peter and bring them both to the boat. "Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?" That's what Jesus said to Peter and He says that to us when we start to look around at our circumstances and panic.
We are meant to walk like these three kids defiantly down the middle of the river because the words and promise of God are as solid as the iced over river in this picture. In Hebrews 12:1b-2 we are instructed to run with endurance the race that lies before us. How? "By keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and the perfecter of our faith."
Your circumstances are as fluid as the current moving under the ice. But the word of our God is the thick layer of ice over those circumstances. They enable us to walk defiantly on the water without fear of sinking or being swamped by the current.
Knowing our God and his solid words of truth must be the bedrock of our lives. Without it we are sunk!