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Celebrating the freeing, supportive presence of God.  So your experience of God may become your experience of life.  It is wonderful what God can do!

April 24, 2005

WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T WALK ON WATER

AS I HAVE ENJOYED EITHER ATTENDING SUMMER CHURCH CAMP AS A CAMPER OR AS A COUNSELOR OR DIRECTOR, I HAVE ENJOYED GOING WATER SKIING.

IT SOMETIMES HAS BEEN AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE TO TRY TO GET UP ON THOSE WATER SKI'S MYSELF OR TO WATCH CAMPERS TRY TO MASTER THE FINE ART OF RIDING OVER THE WATER ON SKI'S.

YET, AFTER READING OUR SCRIPTURE STORY FOR TODAY, IT SEEMS THAT CAMPERS AT CAMP ASBURY OR MYSELF WERE NOT THE ONLY ONES TRYING TO WALK ON WATER WITH WATER SKI'S. IT SEEMS THAT JESUS WAS ABLE TO WALK ON WATER WITHOUT THE SKI'S.

VERSE 25, "AND EARLY IN THE MORNING HE CAME WALKING TOWARD THEM ON THE SEA."

I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS IN SEMINARY. THEY HAD A COURSE ENTITLED WALKING ON WATER 101. BUT I WAS ALWAYS TOO AFRAID TO TAKE THE COURSE. EVEN IT WAS JUST A PASS/FAIL COURSE, I WASN'T SURE HOW I WOULD HAVE DONE.

YET, AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS ALSO REFLECTING ON THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF JESUS WALKING ON THE WATER. AND THE THOUGHT THAT CAME TO ME WAS THAT WE WALK ON A FOUNDATION OF GOD'S BLESSINGS.

A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, I WAS MEETING WITH A SUNDAY MORNING ADULT CLASS AT THE PORTVILLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. IT HAPPENED TO BE A VERY COLD JANUARY MORNING. PEOPLE BRAVELY HAD DRAGGED THEMSELVES OUT OF BED EVEN TO BE THERE THAT MORNING. YET, WITH THE BAD WEATHER, NO ONE , UNDERSTANDABLY, WAS IN A VERY GOOD MOOD.

SO, I SUSPENDED THE LESSON I HAD PLANNED AND ASKED EACH MEMBER OF THE CLASS IF THERE WAS A BLESSING THAT THEY HAD DISCOVERED THAT PAST WEEK.

FIRST, THERE WAS A VERY LONG PAUSE. IN THE MIDST OF THE COLD MORNING AND BAD WEATHER ANY KIND OF A BLESSING THAT MIGHT HAVE OCCURRED TO THEM DURING THE LAST WEEK. WELL, I'M SURE ON THAT COLD MORNING, IT MUST HAVE SEEMED LIKE A TOO DISTANT MEMORY.

BUT, AFTER AWHILE, ONE BY ONE EACH MEMBER OF THE CLASS BEGAN TO RECALL AN INCIDENT DURING THAT PAST WEEK THAT HAD BEEN A BLESSING FOR THEM.

WHEN THE FIRST PERSON SHARED THEIR BLESSING, EVERYONE ELSE STILL SEEMED VERY GLUM. BUT BY THE TIME THE LAST PERSON HAD SHARED THEIR BLESSING FROM THE PAST WEEK, THE SPIRIT OF THE CLASS AS A WHOLE HAD BECOME VERY POSITIVE. FROWNS WERE REPLACED BY SMILES. SIGHS WERE REPLACED BY LAUGHTER.

AND WHEN THE LAUGHTER WAS HEARD ELSEWHERE IN THE CHURCH, SOMEONE DUCKED THEIR HEAD INTO OUR ROOM TO ASK WHAT HAD HAPPENED. WE JUST SAID THAT WE HAD BEEN COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS. AND ON AN UPLIFTED NOTE, WE CLOSED OUR CLASS WITH A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS WE HAD EXPERIENCED.

FOR AFTER COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS, WE REALIZED THAT WE HAD THE FOUNDATION OF GOD'S BLESSING UNDERNEATH US. SO, WHETHER WE WERE SITTING OR LATER WALKING FROM OUR CLASS TO WORSHIP, WE REALIZED THAT WE WERE SUPPORTED BY GOD'S BLESSINGS.

SO, SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING, WALKING ON WATER MEANS REMEMBERING THAT WE ALWAYS WALK OR ARE SUPPORTED BY THE BLESSINGS OF GOD.

NOW, THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT, MAYBE I WILL TAKE THAT SEMINARY COURSE.

THERE WAS, HOWEVER, ONE WHO WAS BRAVE ENOUGH TO TAKE JESUS' COURSE ON WALKING ON WATER. AND THAT BRAVE SOUL WAS THE DISCIPLE PETER.

VERSE 28, "PETER ANSWERED HIM, 'LORD, IF IT IS YOU, COMMAND ME TO COME TO YOU IN THE WATER.' HE SAID, 'COME.' SO PETER GOT OUT OF THE BOAT AND STARTED WALKING ON THE WATER, AND CAME TOWARD JESUS."

SO FAR SO GOOD. BUT THE SCRIPTURE AND STORY CONTINUES.

"BUT WHEN PETER NOTICED THE STRONG WIND, HE BECAME FRIGHTENED AND BEGAN TO SINK, HE CRIED OUT, 'LORD, SAVE ME.'"

LIKE PETER, HAVE YOU EVER GONE OUT ON FAITH INTO LIFE, YOU WERE PURSUING YOUR DREAM, YOUR WERE TRYING TO REACH SOME IMPORTANT GOAL, WHATEVER WALKING OUT ON FAITH HAS MEANT TO YOU.

BUT, THEN, JUST WHEN YOU ARE STARTING TO REACH YOUR GOAL, YOU GOT A SINKING FEELING. OR, IT IS LIKE YOU ARE OUT ON THE EDGE OF A TREE LIMB AND THE LIMB IS SOMEHOW BEING SAWED OFF BEHIND YOU.

YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD GOD'S BLESSING FOR THE ENDEAVOR THAT YOU HAVE UNDERTAKEN. BUT THEN THINGS DON'T SEEM TO GO RIGHT. IN FACT, THEY SEEM TO FALL APART.

YOUR HEALTH DOESN'T GO RIGHT, YOUR JOB, YOUR RELATIONSHIP, YOUR RETIREMENT, SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE.

LIKE PETER, YOU TOO MAY KNOW ALL TOO WELL THAT SINKING FEELING.

A YOUNG COUPLE WAS TRYING TO BUY A HOME. AND AFTER MUCH SEARCHING, THEY FINALLY FOUND THE HOUSE OF THEIR DREAMS AND THAT THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD AFFORD.

BUT, THERE WAS ONLY ONE HITCH. APPARENTLY SOMEONE ELSE THOUGHT IT WAS THE HOME OF THEIR DREAMS TOO. AND BECAUSE THEY HAD TO SELL THEIR HOME FIRST, THEY HAD JUST PUT ON WHAT IS CALLED A CONTINGENCY OFFER.

BUT, WHEN THIS YOUNG COUPLE TRIED TO PUT IN THEIR BID, THE OTHER FAMILY DECIDED TO MAKE THEIR OFFER NON-CONTINGENT AND BINDING.

SO, THE FIRST YOUNG COUPLE LOST THE HOME OF THEIR DREAMS. AND, AT FIRST, HE WAS DIFFICULT. IT WAS LIKE THE RUG HAD BEEN PULLED FROM UNDERNEATH THEM.

SO, FOR PETER WHO WENT OUT ON FAITH TO WALK ON WATER, BUT THEN, WHEN HE SAW THE STRONG WIND, BEGAN SINKING, PERHAPS YOU HAVE BEEN THERE TOO, PERHAPS YOU TOO IN YOUR OWN SITUATION HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT SINKING FEELING.

YET, FORTUNATELY, OUR STORY DOES NOT END THERE. AS WE HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE, THERE IS STILL THE REST OF THE STORY.

LET'S PICK UP THE STORY LINE AGAIN.

"AND BEGINNING TO SINK, PETER CRIED OUT, 'LORD, SAVE ME!' JESUS IMMEDIATELY REACHED OUT HIS HAND AND CAUGHT HIM, SAYING TO HIM, 'YOU OF LITTLE FAITH, WHY DID YOU DOUBT?'"

ONE NIGHT A HOUSE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND A YOUNG BOY WAS FORCED TO FLEE TO THE ROOF. THE FATHER STOOD ON THE GROUND BELOW WITH OUTSTRETCHED ARMS, CALLING TO HIS SON, "JUMP! I'LL CATCH YOU." HE KNEW THE BOY HAD TO JUMP TO SAVE HIS LIFE. ALL THE BOY COULD SEE, HOWEVER, WAS FLAME, SMOKE, AND BLACKNESS. AS CAN BE IMAGINED, HE WAS AFRAID TO LEAVE THE ROOF. HIS FATHER KEPT YELLING; "JUMP! I WILL CATCH YOU." BUT THE BOY PROTESTED, "DADDY, I CAN'T SEE YOU." THE FATHER REPLIED, "BUT I CAN SEE YOU AND THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS."

SOMETIMES UNDERSTANDABLY WE SEE LIFE FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF OUR FEARS. AGAIN UNDERSTANDABLY WE SEE ONLY THE FLAME, SMOKE AND BLACKNESS.

YET LIKE THE FATHER, LIKE JESUS TOO SAYS, TO YOU IN YOUR TIMES OF TROUBLE, "BUT I CAN SEE YOU AND THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS."

YET, ONE WAY SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING TO "WALK ON WATER" IS SEE NOT WITH THE EYES OF FEAR BUT THROUGH THE EYES OF FAITH.

OR, THERE IS A STORY ABOUT A WORLD WAR II BRIDE WHO FOLLOWED HER NEW HUSBAND TO AN ARMY CAMP IN THE CALIFORNIA DESERT. BEFORE LONG, SHE REGRETTED HER MOVE. THE HEAT AND DUST WERE TERRIBLE. HER SOLDIER HUSBAND WAS ALLOWED VERY LITTLE TIME AT HOME WITH HER. SHE GREW BORED AND LONELY, FOR THE ONLY NEIGHBORS WERE INDIANS WHO SPOKE LITTLE ENGLISH. WHEN SHE FELT SHE COULD STAND IT NO LONGER, SHE WROTE HER MOTHER THAT SHE WAS COMING HOME. HER MOTHER SENT HER BACK A POEM THAT HAS HELPED MANY PERSONS REGAIN PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE. TWO LINES FROM THAT POEM:

TWO MEN LOOKED OUT THROUGH PRISON BARS.
ONE SAW MUD, THE OTHER SAW STARS.

THE YOUNG WOMAN KNEW WHAT HER MOTHER MEANT. SHE BEGAN LOOKING FOR WAYS TO TURN HER NEGATIVE SITUATION INTO A POSITIVE ONE. SHE BEGAN TO STUDY THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEIGHBORS AND TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH THEM.

"WALKING ON WATER" SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING IN THIS SITUATION HAPPENED WHEN THE YOUNG WOMEN LEARNED NOT TO FOCUS ON HER SITUATION, EVEN SELF-PITY, BUT ON THE CHOICES SHE DID HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT - SHE CHOSE TO HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND TO CARE FOR OTHERS NEARBY WHICH ALSO BROUGHT HER A SENSE OF BLESSING.

MANY OF YOU KNOW THE NAME OF IRENE CARNEY. SHE WAS OUR CHURCH SECRETARY FOR 25 YEARS. SHE HAS SINCE DIED. IRENE REALLY BELIEVED IN PRAYER. SHE BELIEVED IN THE POWER OF PRAYER TOO.

SHE KNEW TOO CRISIS. AND ONE OF THE COMMENTS I REMEMBER HER MAKING ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION IN A TIME OF CRISIS, "THIS TOO SHALL PASS."

ONE OF THE WAYS IRENE, SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING, LEARNED TO "WALK ON WATER" WAS TO REALIZE THAT MOST, WHAT SEEM TO BE BIG CRISES AT THE MOMENT, DON'T LAST FOREVER. "THIS TOO SHALL PASS."

FINALLY, HERE IS HOW WORLD-INSPIRER, POPE JOHN XXIII, SHUT OFF HIS PANIC SENSORS AT THE END OF EACH DAY. THIS MAN, WHOSE NAME WAS ANGELO RONCALLI, COMFORTED HIMSELF AT BEDTIME WITH THIS ASSURANCE. HE IMAGINED JESUS TALKING TO HIM, "WHO GOVERNS THE CHURCH? YOU OR THE HOLY SPIRIT? VERY WELL, GO TO SLEEP, ANGELO."

"WALKING ON WATER" SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING CAN MEAN REALIZING THANKFULLY THAT GOD IS IN CHARGE NOT ONLY OF THE CHURCH BUT OF LIFE ITSELF. THANKS BE TO GOD.

SO GOD'S, CHRIST'S INVITATION TO YOU TODAY?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN, SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING, FOR YOU TO "WALK ON WATER", TODAY?

FOR AS JESUS WAS READY AND ABLE TO HELP PETER, THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT HE IS READY TO HELP YOU LEARN TOO.

LET US PRAY.

DEAR GOD,

IT IS AMAZING HOW YOUR SON JESUS KNEW HOW TO WALK ON WATER EVEN THREW THE STORMS OF LIFE.
AS PETER WAS WILLING, WHEN WE NEED, MAY WE TOO ASK JESUS TO INSTRUCT US HOW WE CAN WALK ON WATER TO DISCOVER YOUR BLESSINGS TOO.

AMEN.

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