About a year ago we came to a city we did not know and where no one knew us to start a brand new life-giving church. I come from a family of pastors, church leaders, church volunteers, and church cleaning persons. Church has incredible significance in my life. I have been to thousands of church services in my life, and I have never been to a single service where I didn’t feel the presence of God. I’m not saying a service like that doesn’t exist, I just have never been to one.
Have you ever taken up a challenge or project where you looked back and asked yourself: “How in the world, and why in the world did I do that?”. Not that it was not worth it, or that you didn’t value it or think of it as necessary. I was just too much. I’ve been there a couple times before, and I have said I’d never be there again. Well, in the words of the famed Canadian poet: “Never say never!”. Here is what we’ve found to be true: Sometimes following Jesus requires a daring faith that you don’t have, but it is supplied with the challenge. When the 5000+ were hungry, the disciples followed Jesus to feed entire crowd out of five loaves of bread and two fish. When Jesus sent them into the villages, they healed and delivered the people from all sorts of ailments. When the terrifying storm was threatening to end their lives, Jesus comes walking on water, and what does Peter do? He forgets all about safety, he doesn’t point out the storm to Jesus and say: “Jesus, be careful, come in the boat!”. No. Instead, he undresses from all safety instincts and walks toward the only thing that matters at that moment: Jesus. The storm never stopped, but somehow he summoned the faith that rid him of all insecurities.
It would be nice to tell you that Jesus just washed my feet, and I’m now reclining with him at the table and eating a nice meal with him, but this is not the case. Eight months ago, the roaring storm was loud and scary, now all I can see is Jesus. We have peace, we have faith, and we know we are following him. Our convictions are stronger than before and our resolve is unwavering.
I am walking on water.
-JD
