Going For a Boat Ride...."You Comin' Jesus?"

Part of realizing your destiny is knowing how to constantly be making progress. Progress requires going through lots of things that may be uncertain to us while doing it but, in hindsight, we know it was what had to happen; as we come out of the old and into the new person we are becoming.

Everyone thinks that there has to be some life-changing transformation when you become a Christian….and for some of us that is true. BUT, there are others that just know they want a relationship with Him and want to be part of something bigger than themselves. I went to a church service recently where our pastor talked briefly of transformations and how, if we are truly transformed, it should be noticeable to everyone. The excitement we feel, the joy we experience, the grace given to us and want to share with others; a true “Cheerleader for Jesus.”

John 6:15-21 tells of a story where the disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee on their way to Capernaum. Any crossing from one place to another requires a transition that begins with an ending and ends with a new beginning. Leaving the shore represented an ending, catapulting the disciples into a transition – that limbo period between the ending and a new beginning. Limbo….just like the boat at sea. The disciples weren’t where they started and they hadn’t made it to where they were going. They had been cut loose to cross the Sea of Galilee and were vulnerable to the elements. The wind came up and they were even more unstable, threatening to capsize their boat; never getting them to their new destination.

I think; more dramatic than the transformations….are the series of transitions that we go through and what becomes of us because of them; or in spite of them. Before I was a Christian, when something would go wrong I would wonder: “If there is a God, how can he allow something like this to happen?” ….Having breast cancer at the age of 30 with three small daughters and a precarious marriage. I blamed God for that and “to show him”… I refused any kind of relationship with him for a long time. Then when I was a Christian and things wouldn’t go as I hoped they would (because let’s face it… just having a relationship with Jesus doesn’t make our lives all peaches, even though that would be pretty great), I say things like “Satan is really working overtime these days.”

But…in reading this passage from John, I realized that I was giving Satan too much credit.

The story goes on….

“A strong wind was blowing and waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.” John 6:18-21

In that unstable place, the disciples were confronted with contrary winds that threatened to capsize their boat and keep them from arriving at their destination. “Contrary” means antagonistic, against, or opposing. The wind was trying to keep the disciples from reaching their destiny.

In the middle of everything the disciples faced, Jesus came to them. They didn’t recognize him at first and were hesitant in asking him into the boat; just as I put him off so many times before the BIG transformation. But…when they did recognize him and they let him into the boat….it was a decision that saved their lives and allowed them to get to the new place that God intended. If God sent them, then he was also committed to their destiny and would release all of the resources necessary for them to get to the other side. When God directs us in a way that leads us into transition, He has already committed Himself to come to us when we reach unstable waters.

Since having Jesus as my BFF, I have had LOTS of contrary things come my way and I realize that my story is so much more than my transformation. My story is one that is lived everyday in the transitions that are put in my path; not giving Satan the credit but knowing that God is putting me to a test of faith as he did the disciples that night crossing the Sea of Galilee. Satan has nothing to do with any part of my transitions I live through now. The peaches and the peas of my life are only driven by Jesus and I will do my best to walk with the faith that is expected of me.

No….I guess this isn’t the typical “Welcome to the New Year” blog. But it was definitely one put on my heart by the one that matters….Jesus. My husband found out that his position was no longer needed just two days before Christmas. My youngest daughter I welcomed home just a few months ago, has decided that she wants to move back to California and leaves on Friday; less than two weeks after she told us the news. My middle daughter had car troubles and didn’t get to come home this Christmas after all. The amount of our bills outnumber the amount of our income. But in the middle of this “contrary” time… my oldest daughter responded to one of my countless emails I sent just last week and we are now emailing back and forth, sometimes twice a day; and we haven’t spoken in two years.

Jesus got into my boat back in October of 2009 but that was just the beginning. Without the relationship that I have with him, the everyday transitions that are part of my life, would go unanswered; worried about, and stressed over. The clear glass vase that we had by our door to leave our troubles in over the holiday; is still there. We decided to leave it there and continue to fill it with things we can’t control but know He can.

2011 is a year of Faith and Footwork. We have faith in Him to get us through our “Sea of Galilee” trip no matter how many waves come crashing into our boat. God has given us the resources to handle whatever comes our way. When my husband was unemployed last time, it was seventeen months. We had just accepted Christ as our savior but had no idea what that meant or what to do next. Those resources?? Yeah. We have friends; a lot of them. We have a church family that is like no other. We have bible studies and small groups. We have a prayer network and we have Jesus…in our boat. We have faith in Him and want to show him the faith we are going to live by. The footwork part? That’s easy. We will apply for the jobs, fill our vessels in church and bible study and small groups. We will volunteer at church in whatever capacity is needed (I start vacuuming again next Monday…. and can’t wait). We will NOT sit idly by and dwell on our circumstances because we know that He has gotten us through things before with a lot less faith and a lot less friends and resources; imagine what He can do now. Woohoo.

This isn’t a New Year’s Resolution but a pinky promise to show others what he is capable of. A real life “Oh yeah… well look what Jesus did for me today” moment.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”  2Corinthians 1:3-5

Had to throw a scripture from Paul in there because it was so appropriate and....it is Paul…lol.