"Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the
water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet,
he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, 'Master, save me!'" (Matt
14:29-30 The Message)
Living in Tucson, Arizona can be quite a thrilling experience, especially during
monsoon season! In fact, the most thrilling, breath-taking roller coaster ride
is nothing compared to this! For example, what used to be a dry river bed can be
filled to overflowing within minutes! Not a good place for a stroll on such a
day. You could get a little bit wet, and your dog would be swimming instead of
running! Quite a thrilling ride, don't you think?
Tucson also has many dips on their roads, as the desert is far from being flat.
Those dips can be quite dangerous during the monsoon season! You may think, "A
little water won't hurt anything!" But driving through one can rob you of your
very existence.
It happened to one man and his family who were visiting Tucson. He drove into a
water-filled dip, believing it to be just a few inches of water, only to find
himself being immersed by walls of rolling water. The water pressure made it
impossible for him to open the door, and the electric windows wouldn't operate
in the wet conditions. In the end, he was completely swallowed up by the flash
flood.
I sure wouldn't enjoy that kind of ride. Would you?
We also face many other kinds of threats in life. Some don't look threatening,
however, and, in our minds, they may not even be worthy of a second glance. In
the end however, they have the potential to completely take over your life! This
is why the apostle Paul urges us to: "Be prepared. You're up against far more
than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God
has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your
feet." (Eph 6:13 The Message)
We, as Christians, can walk on water (temptation), thanks to Jesus. We can be
victorious! But if we, like Peter, pay more attention to our selves or to our
circumstances rather than focussing on the Lord, we will surely sink!
The solution?
"He cried, 'Master, save me!' Jesus didn't hesitate. He reached down and grabbed
his hand. Then he said, 'Faint-heart, what got into you?'" (Matt 14:30b-31 The
Message)
"Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study
how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed - that
exhilarating finish in and with God - he could put up with anything along the
way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right
alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that
story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That
will shoot adrenaline into your souls!" (Heb 12:2-3 The Message)
Did you notice that blotch of water on the road? I wonder how deep it really is!
Believe me: A rubber ducky won't help in these circumstances!
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.