Get Out Of The Boat!

Once again the Lord is meeting me immediately this morning.  I was watching a video this morning of Bill Johnson sharing a story about God's healing power (Youtube - Bill Johnson video) and I was thinking about how God wants to work through me.  I realize that for me the biggest reason I don't see God move more powerfully is  probably because I let the fear of man constrain me.  There is so much more in God and yet I allow myself to be boxed into only having a small impact out of my fear of rejection by man.

I rationalize my fear of man as politeness, and being raised to be respectful of people's privacy. Those are both good things, at least in my mind, so I hide behind them and have all sorts of good intentions, but rarely do I step out in courage.  I know that God is just waiting patiently for me to rise above my fear, and I can't express how grateful I am for His patience and mercy.

As I was reflecting on my situation, I opened my Bible and continued to read out of Paul's letter to the Philippians, and next up was one of the great statements of Paul about his motivation and drive to press forward into the Lord.  Here are the verses - Philippians 3:10-14 NIV:

[10] "I want to know Christ---yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead."

[12] "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

I am going to start my reflection with verse thirteen - "forgetting what is behind".  The shame of regret is something that can shut any of us down, looking at all  the lost opportunities, the lost years, the things we could have said or done, all of these can weigh on us and cause us to embrace defeat.  Rather, as Paul says, we should forget what is behind, as it is unchangeable,  and strain forward toward what is ahead, and be different going forward.

I like that he uses the Greek word Epekteinomai for the action we take towards what is ahead.  The word was translated here in verse 13 as straining, but it could also more accurately be defined as stretching forward, reaching with effort.  In other words, it takes effort and causes us to stretch, or be stretched. Sitting in my little safe bubble, I am not stretched, if anything I am compressed.

It is time for me to press forward, to press onward, and this takes effort. It means I need to get up and step out of my comfort zone, out of my safe place, out of my polite respect of people's privacy and be willing to be God's representative to those around me.  I need to think differently, looking for opportunities and need, and then stepping into them with the courage that I am not alone.  God desires to use me, and it is up to me to step out.

I am reminded of the story of Peter stepping out of the boat - Matthew 14:25-29 NIV:

[25] "Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. [26] When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It's a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

[27] But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.”

[28] “Lord, if it's you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

[29] “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus."

It is time for me to step out, to press forward toward what is ahead, forgetting what is behind, "pressing on to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus!" Lord, I am encouraged this morning, help me to take this courage with me throughout the day.  Help me to see You moving, to see the opportunity, to see the need and step out of the boat into Your purposes!  I can hear Your encouragement, "Get out of the boat!"

Amen and Amen!