Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” – Matthew 14: 31-33
It has been said that if you don’t know where you are going, you will always get there. Various forms of navigation have been used for years. Perhaps the most notable Biblical example is the star over Bethlehem.
I remember when I was going through flight training, my instructor said that no matter what my instincts tell me, always trust the instrument guidance system. After time had passed I remember when I was in very deep and thick clouds that I couldn’t see the wing tips. I wasn’t sure of up from down or left from right. My instincts told me to do one thing, but my instruments told me another. I followed the instruments precisely and was able to fly through the storm safely.
Life is like that. The world is full of advice on the direction of our lives, but often the Bible tells us something else. The Bible is the real guidance system of life. Yet the tug and pull of life is so strong which can so easily draw us off course.
Have you ever waivered in your belief that God would bring you through? Why?
When you were seriously short of money… When the diagnosis shook your being… When people and relationships failed you… When the promise of your career tanked… Why did you doubt?
Crossing a stormy Sea of Galilee late at night, the disciples are afraid. Jesus comes to them, walking on the water. They think they are seeing a ghost, but then they realize it’s Jesus! Peter asks to walk out to Jesus. As he begins to step out of the boat and walk on water, he begins to sink from fear of the wind and waves. “Lord, save me!” and Jesus pulls Peter out of the water. Then Jesus asked, “Why did you doubt?”
“Before they call, I will answer; while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24) You who are redeemed for heaven, God knows your circumstances. He knows when you think you’re going down, whatever the cause may be. He is already working on your deliverance and already knows the day of your eternal deliverance. Like Peter, the disciples come sooner or later to see the hints that God was indeed reaching down to save you. It’s then, when we start to get it, that He invites the introspective look back, “Why did you doubt?” We see God from behind. The more we look back at the times He’s delivered us, the more we’ll trust that He will save us in the present, even if we don’t yet see it happening.
Trust in God alone and you will never get off course.
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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
THE PILOT AND THE DOG:
A lady was flying from Melbourne to Brisbane. Unexpectedly, the plane was diverted to Sydney. The flight attendant explained that there would be a delay, and if the passengers wanted to get off the aircraft the plane would re-board in 50 minutes.
Everybody got off the plane except one lady who was blind. A man had noticed her as he walked by and could tell the lady was blind because her seeing eye dog lay quietly underneath the seats in front of her throughout the entire flight. He could also tell she had flown this very flight before because the pilot approached her, and calling her by name, said, ‘Kathy, we are in Sydney for almost an hour. Would you like to get off and stretch your legs?’ The blind lady replied, ‘No thanks, but maybe Max would Like to stretch his legs.
Picture this: All the people in the gate area came to a complete standstill when they looked up and saw the pilot walk off the plane with a seeing eye dog! The pilot was even wearing sunglasses. People scattered. They not only tried to change planes, but they were trying to change airlines!
Remember, things are not always as they appear.
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QUOTES YOU CAN USE
QUOTES FROM PASTOR BARRY CHESNEY:
Put your doubts under God’s authority.
Dream again.
Life is not about our happiness, but about our holiness.
Faith empowers us to achieve the impossible.
Fear replaces faith when we focus on our circumstances.
The root of our fear is doubt.
Our doubt disappears when we focus on Jesus’ identity.
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Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at www.thoughtsaboutgod.com/blog.
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