If we step out of the boat when God has not called us, we will wind up only wet.
On the other hand…
If God is, in fact, calling to us and we have become too entrenched in our comfort zones to hear and respond, what miracles and adventures might we be missing?
Comfort zones often compel us into the routines that we call life. Often, we cling to our religious cultures and familiar ways of doing life as a way to remain comfortable. This is fine, unless in fact, his voice is calling!
The Jesus-life is a faith-life is a step-out-of-the-boat life.
Is he calling? Are we making room to listen? If he is calling and we do listen and respond, the most amazing, miraculous things can happen just because… we step out of the boat.
Comments
9 responses to “Stepping Out of the Boat”
Hey Roger,
I’m 77 and I have gotten wet several times. But, the times I didn’t get wet more than made up for the times I did.
Two things I did learn.
There is safety in a multitude of counselors. However, the ones to listen to must be solid with the Lord.
Jesus always puts out His hand if I reach up.
As a retired Lutheran pastor, I have always been on the edge of the boat throwing out the net. Contemplatives like Richard Rohr suggest the boat idea is dualism. God is really out in the wet ocean of life and we need to just jump in and leave the institutional place characterized by power and a ‘we’/’them’ attitude. Jesus walked in the world, not the institutions of that day. Let’s change the way we talk about our walk with God. Mystics and contemplatives have a lot to say about it. Start with Richard Rohr, THE NAKED NOW.
Thanks for sharing and you are so right: Jesus’ hand is always there.
Good point! It’s the ‘jumping in,’ especially when it involves leaving something familiar, that is so often the challenge!
I have finally been taught by the spirit , I believe this truth, it’s not the words we’ve grown used to, it’s the daily dependance on this spirit to guide us. Brian
I too have “gotten wet” in my younger journey a bit, but that only confirmed my young hearts desire to follow Him. You could say that my young spirit was willing, but inexperienced”. I learned much from Traditional moors of “Church” in those days and knew some stuff through evangelical circles. But it wasn’t until the Holy Spirit of God blest and opened my mind and heart to His Heart through studying and meditating on His Word, that I “got out” of my religious boat into a relational walk daily with Him.
Daily dependence… God help us!
I “got out” of my religious boat into a relational walk daily with Him. — Amen!
We are ALL soaking wet!
God said, “If ye…break my covenant…I will appoint over you terror” (Lev. 26:15-16), and we live in a world of terrorism. The Jews broke the Old Covenant and Christians haven’t kept the New Covenant. What’s worse, for 20 years God has had me trying to get through to Christians to no avail. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8T4MmhgsWE