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The wind was blustery, and the waves were towering, when Peter first stepped out of the boat.(1) But i would venture he was no longer seeing or hearing them – at least at first. The only One he was seeing and hearing was his Lord … and Jesus had bid him to come.
That is the picture in my mind when i hear the words “recklessly abandoned.” Dictionary.com defines reckless as “utterly unconcerned about the consequences of some action,” or “without caution.” Recklessness in most instances is a bad thing. None of us want to come face-to-face with a reckless driver, or follow a reckless leader who has no regard for us or where he/she is leading us. Very few of us would ever want to be described as being reckless. But i am convinced there is one context in which i truly desire to be reckless.
Dictionary.com also defines abandonment as “an act or instance of giving up control.” It can also refer to our walking away from responsibility for something or someone. When we abandon something, we are in essence saying that we are no longer taking responsibility for that person or that thing … we are walking away. That idea of abandonment is rightfully filled with so many negative connotations. How many of us would ever want to be described as abandoning loved ones, friends, responsibilities, or the like? i would venture not any one of us. Like reckless, it is another word that none of us would want to have used to describe us on our “Linked In” profile.
But, as i said at the outset, i believe that the two-word phrase – recklessly abandoned – does accurately describe Peter and his actions at that moment. He stepped out of the boat without any regard for the storm that was raging around him … or for his companions (whom he left behind in the boat) … all because Jesus told him to do so!
As we consider his actions, we have the benefit of knowing the subsequent results. But imagine if you were one of his companions in the boat at the moment. Can you imagine what John or any of the others thought when they saw Peter climbing out of the boat. i know what i would have thought – i would have thought he was crazy! What are you doing, Peter? You’re going to drown! You’re the captain of this boat and you are leaving us to fend for ourselves! Get back in the boat, Peter!
But … let’s hastily remember that Peter was not doing so impetuously. He didn’t decide to step out of the boat on a whim to see if he could walk on water. He wasn’t hoping against hope that everything was going to work out just fine. He truly hadn’t lost his senses … even though everyone around him probably thought he had.
Peter was taking a step of faith. But again – that faith was not based upon the idea that if i believe and try hard enough, everything is going to work out. And be mindful, he didn’t step out of the boat to walk on water; rather, he stepped out of the boat to come to Jesus. His focus wasn’t the storm and the waves; rather his focus was the One who had called to Him … at least until he took his eyes off Jesus.
i would also contend that only One actually walked on the water that night, and that One was Jesus. Peter didn’t walk on the water…, he walked on a word from Jesus – “Come!” It wasn’t water he was trusting in. He was trusting in the word that had been spoken to him, and the One who had spoken it. The impossible only becomes possible when Jesus says so! We can’t wish it into existence; we can only experience it becoming so, because Jesus has said it is so! And once He does, we must step out recklessly abandoned by faith, keeping our eyes on Him, His word, and His promise.
Because the moment we divert our eyes to the circumstances surrounding us, we will “sink” as surely as Peter did. But let’s be careful to not judge Peter too harshly – he was the only one with the faith to get out of the boat with reckless abandonment to walk to Jesus.
What word has Jesus given you to step out on today? If you don’t have one, have you asked Him for one? And once He has given it to you, be prepared to step out in reckless abandonment by faith – without delay. If you debate for even one second when He has spoken, you may very well miss the moment and the blessing Jesus has in store for you. Be reckless immediately by abandoning all else to Him. Yes, be determined to be recklessly abandoned, surrendering everything to Him.
By the way … today’s a good day to take a walk on the water – if that’s what Jesus has told you to do!
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A portion of this post is adapted from Walking With The Master, chapter 33, entitled “Take a Walk on the Water.”This fourth book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy of the book.
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(1) Matthew 14:22-33
Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.
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