the cross before me, the world behind...

Matthew 14:28-33

28And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." 29He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." 31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

In verse 30, when Peter begins to look around and see the wind and the storm, he becomes afraid and starts to sink. So many times in our lives, we look around and see the world, we see the wind or the storm in our lives, and that takes our focus off of Jesus. We must maintained focused on Jesus, and always keep in mind how he has chosen to use us. There is no storm, no wind, no problem that should or can derail us from our purpose of loving and serving God.

When we look at persecution, what others may think or us, our surroundings, the hurdles or hills we have to climb, or our world in general, we begin to look at our our power and ability. No wonder Peter begins to sink, he cant walk on the water alone! Its only with God's power, with God's will, with God's blessing, with God's authority and sovereignty that we are able to serve and honor him. When we forget that, only then do we begin to sink and doubt. When we maintained focused on that, there is nothing God can't do through us.

Check this out, this is my favorite part. Even after Peter looks around, doubts, looses his faith, forgets that Jesus has personally called him, and takes his eyes off of Jesus, what is our Lord's response? A hand. Jesus reaches out his hand to help Peter. He doesn't let him drown because Peter has doubted, but he aids, assists, helps, and ultimately, he shows love to him. No wonder the only way Peter and the men on the boat could respond was to worship Him!