Risk Coming Closer

Matthew 14:28-30

“Lord, if it’s You,” Peter answered Him, “command me to come to You on the water.”

“Come!” He said.

And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid. And beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Take a close look at Peter’s request in this passage. If the seemingly familiar figure on the water in the midst of the storm was actually Jesus, Peter desired to go to Him. He asked permission to come to Him. Jesus affirmed His presence and invited Peter to come. Peter got out of his boat and began walking on the water toward Jesus.

Peter did not ask for authority over the wind and waves. He did not ask for power. He asked for permission to move toward Christ, and Jesus granted that permission. There may be times in life when we sense God’s presence, and we want to move toward Him in risk. While we begin to move toward Him, we can easily become distracted. We must remember that God will always move us toward Him. Anything that threatens our coming closer to His presence – sin, pride, self-indulgence, fear, anxiety – will cause us to sink. We must always consider whether an attitude, thought, or action would lead us closer to Christ or farther from Him. If we are already out on the water in the midst of a storm, the last thing we want to do is to turn toward something that takes us away from Christ! When God is leading you closer to Himself in a risky situation, the Devil is sure to try to distract you because he desires to see you sink. Keep your eyes firmly planted on Jesus, and walk only toward Him.

Jesus did not allow Peter to sink. He only allowed Peter to see that he could not walk on water in his own strength, and he could not focus on the things that frightened him. To walk on water, he had to stay focused on Christ and have faith in His calling. Jesus allowed Peter to experience the thrill of walking on water with the safety of the boat close by. His was not a “sink or swim” proposal. Peter’s invitation was “Come closer to me, and I will take care of you.” To walk on water as Peter did, he had to trust the One who invited him to come.

If you are considering a risk today, determine if it will draw you closer to Jesus Christ. Your focus should always be in moving toward Him. If you are simply trying to move closer to His presence, you will succeed. If, however, you are trying to impress others, you will fail. Whatever God is calling you to do will move you closer to Jesus Christ. Don’t be afraid to move toward His presence. God never promised you life without failure or complete happiness. He does, however, invite you to come closer to Him with the promise He is right there should you start to sink. How close to Jesus do you want to be? Your risks will show you.

Have a blessed day!