GOD'S PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO GET THEIR FEET WET

Matthew 14:22-33                        
Romans 10:5-15

Do you have beautiful feet?  Have you ever thought about feet being beautiful?  Oh, yes, feet can be achy.  they can be stinky.  Feet can be calloused, dry or dirty.  They can even be made of clay, but how often do we think about feet being things of beauty?

Romans 10:15 says, "...beautiful are the feet that bring good news."  Beautiful feet belong to people who have put their faith in Christ and are obedient disciples.

I think beautiful feet are wet feet.

In Matthew 14:22-33, we read a familiar story.  The disciples are back out on the Sea of Galilee when another storm catches them out in the middle of the lake.  This time, Jesus isn't even with them.  He stayed behind, insisting that they go on ahead of them while he went off by himself to pray and rest.

All night, the disciples fight a terrible head wind.  The last thing they expected to see during the early morning hours is Jesus walking toward them through the waves.  Thinking he is a ghost, they become afraid.

Jesus's response is "fear not," and Peter decides to take a chance.  "If you're really Jesus, call me to come to you; ask me to step out of the boat and walk out to you."

You probably know the rest of the story.  Jesus did call Peter to come to him across the water.  Peter climbed over the side of the boat and started walking across the water to Jesus.  However, Peter got distracted by the roaring wind.  With his focus off of Christ, he began to doubt his own human ability to walk on water, and he began to sink beneath the waves.

And Jesus was there to catch him up.

Yes, Peter blew it.  He allowed self-doubt to overcome his faith, but I have to give Peter some credit.  At least he got out of the boat!

I can't tell you how many times I haven't even made it out of the boat because I came up with all these reasons why "I can't do this."  There were so many "I can'ts" that they almost swamped my boat, and I was getting no where fast.  I was so focused on the impossibilities that I didn't look to Christ to see the God- possibilities.

Beautiful feet are wet feet.  There are going to be times, if we are truly serious about being faithful to God's mission as individuals and as the church, that Christ is going to ask us to step out in faith and get our feet wet in order for us to move forward into the future God has for us.  He is going to want us to try something new and be willing to give and serve sacrificially, that is to do what seems above and beyond our human capabilities, resources and even our own willingness.

It won't be easy, and it won't feel comfortabile.  In fact, it may even feel a bit frightening, like we're in over our heads.  That's the time when we need to keep looking to Christ in order to see the God-possibilities and God's limitless resources rather than just seeing the impossibilities and our limitations.

Matthew doesn't say how Jesus and Peter got back to the boat.  I'd like to think that when Jesus caught up Peter, he set back on his feet on to of the water.  Imagine Jesus and Peter, side by side, arm in arm, walking back to the boat.

When we take a misstep or two or three, or we feel overwhelmed by the challenges we face, Christ is there at our side to catch us up, set us back on our feet and move forward with us in ministry and mission into God's future for us.

Fear not.  When we are willing to take the chance and get our feet wet, to take the first step of faith, God will bless that first step, even if it's a hesitant baby step.  There will be miracles, lives will be transformed, and ministry will happen. 

And we will be amazed by what we can do with Christ.