The REAL failure!

A few years I called another church to ask if our youth group could use their van for a day trip when both of ours were booked by our Christian School.  “No,” they replied, “We can’t expose ourselves to the liability.” Their reasoning is quite common. Many decisions are made, not around what is right or possible, but what is the course of least risk. Being safety conscious is a good thing. Attempting to avoid any risk paralyzes.

 Life is not a sure thing!  Whenever I propose a new project, there are voices, inside my  head and around me that warn 'there isn't enough money, there isn't enough time, somebody might sue us ...”    If you decide to step out, you will be told that you’re “ too young, too old, too dumb, too smart...” to do what you dream of doing!  When we start to believe those negative voices , we begin to die. We put our dreams on the shelf and go home to our recliners to watch TV alone night after night: safe but dead while we still live.

Jesus fed 5000 people miraculously, then sent the disciples home across the lake by boat, while he went to seek a solitary place of prayer. The disciples had a rough time making headway because of waves and wind. In the middle of the night, Jesus comes strolling by, walking on the water.  “Surely,” they thought, “We are seeing a ghost.”  Then, He spoke.  Peter recognized the voice of Jesus and, totally in keeping with his impulsiveness, he said, "Lord, if it's you tell me to come to you on the water."  "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14: 29-31 NIV

Have you ever walked on water or are you one of those people who stays put in the boat where it's safe?
People who always play it safe do not make much of an impact.  Why? Because risk is an integral part of success!  Those unwilling to fail cannot succeed.

Let’s be clear. That faith story of Peter’s adventure on the Sea of Galilee isn't a story about a daredevil who spit in the face of fate, who threw all caution to the wind, or who had a secret death wish. It's about a man who wanted to know His Lord and whose passion for Jesus drove him to total obedience. Peter asked Jesus to call him and when the Lord did, Peter responded -- against all good sense -- by getting out of the boat. He walked on the water until he realized the absurdity of his situation and only then  he failed... or did he?  I think that the real failures that night were the other 11 guys who sat safely in the boat watching Peter do the impossible.

Are waves kicking up around your little lifeboat today? 
Are your kids rebelling? 
Is your marriage strained? 
Is some sin pulling hard on you, so much that the temptation is nearly overwhelming? 
Have past financial decisions come around creating a situation you can’t control?  
Are you afraid of aging, the future, the government?  Truthfully, we all have problems that rock our boat. That's life!

Jesus walks with us. He's passing by, and He’s inviting us to walk on the waves! Will you accept the challenge to grow a bigger, deeper faith?  When you hear His voice, get out of the boat.  Oh, yes, be careful about getting so impressed with yourself that you start to show off.   The moment you take your eyes off of Him, you’ll suffer a Peter moment;  you’re sunk!

And, if you fail, adopt the attitude of Jonas Salk, the person who saved millions from polio when he developed the polio vaccine. He failed 200x before he got it right. Somebody asked Mr. Salk, "How did it feel to fail 200 times?" Salk said, "I never failed 200x for I was taught not to use the word, 'failure.' I discovered 200 ways not to vaccinate for polio!"

Your greatest failure won't be if you happen to sink in the waves, it will be IF YOU NEVER GET OUT OF THE BOAT!

Here’s the word from the Word.  Make it yours as you meditate on it. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in heaven. Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don’t become weary and give up." (Hebrews 12:1-3, NLT)

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Faithful You Are Faithful

Lord, You have shown Yourself to be,

Never changing, always faithful.

Lord, You have shown Your heart for me,

The loving touch of a caring Father.

In ev'ry day that passes;

And all the world's distractions;

Through seasons and life's changes;

You always remain faithful

To me!

With Your

Perfect love, perfect love,

Casts out all fear, and shows me

That ev'ry word and promise to me

Will be fulfilled, will be fulfilled.

Faithful, You are faithful.

Faithful, faithful, faithful!

Eoghan Heaslip

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