Do you remember the story about Peter and Jesus in the
boat? Jesus had been speaking to people
along the shoreline. After he was done, he sent the disciples on ahead out in
the boat while he dismissed the people who had gathered. Later that night,
Jesus walks out to the boat, but he didn’t simply WALK to the boat, He walked
ON WATER to the boat. The disciples were terrified, but Jesus immediately
comforted them and told them, “Take courage. It is I.” (Mark 12:27) Peter, with
all his man courage, asked Jesus, “Lord if it’s you, tell me to come to you on
the water.” Of course, Jesus did exactly that.
Peter was scared and afraid; his man courage had left him.
It is at this point that Peter is being stretched. He is
being stretched in his faith in Jesus. He is being stretched in his willingness
to follow Jesus. Can you imagine what Peter would have thought if instead of
Jesus replying with “Come”, he had simply said, “Oh never mind Peter, you
cannot do it? Just stay there in your comfort Peter.”
I’m so glad that Jesus didn’t say “oh never mind” to me
either! I’m so glad that God has led me to go on this upcoming trip to
Cambodia. I feel, for me personally,
that this trip has stretched me from the start. From the beginning, I made
plans for a mission trip, my plans. I planned to go here, God wanted me to go
there. I wanted it to look like this; God wanted it to look like that. I wanted
comfort; God wanted me to follow. I have leaned out, and He has leaned in.
I am so thankful for this season of stretching. Through this
stretching, I have been taught to lay me down, and follow Jesus, even if that
means to the other side of the world. I have been shown that this trip is
NOTHING about me, and EVERYTHING about Him. He had been able to stretch my
heart to hold more, and more is exactly what I need. More of Him, less of me. I
need all this room in my heart for 33+ precious little jewels in Cambodia, and
I just can’t wait to get my arms around them!!
