The all powerful sovereign God of all creation needs me?

He certainly created the world without me.  He often works in miraculous ways without me.   Why would he need me?

There’s a mystery.  It’s the dance of the cooperation with the Holy Spirit which we can have as humans.  God certainly can do whatever he wants to.  But most of the time, he has chosen to work through humans’ faith.  Faith as small as a mustard seed, which germinates into a huge plant of obedience.

The cycle continues.

Mary trusting in God throughout an impossible, terrifying and embarrassing situation.

Moses going to Egypt to face Pharoah and lead the Israelite nation to the promised land.

Ezekiel told to prophesy to a valley full of dry bones.

Ruth, a lonely immigrant to Israel became the ancestor of King David, and Jesus.

Using my imagination I try to place myself in the boat during that terrible storm on the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus could control the wind and the waves, but he chose to walk straight across the water towards the disciples in the boat.

I’m Peter.  Can you imagine that you are Peter?  I first have to step out of the boat to walk on water like Jesus.  Jesus invited me because I asked him.  I hesitate.  Shaking in fear. Cold to the bone with the wind, driving rain and the dark ominous waves.

One step, two steps. Three.  It’s going well, as long as I’m looking toward Jesus, into his eyes.  This is going pretty well.  Is this pride or faith?

It doesn’t seem as if there are any wind or waves now.  There’s a laser beam of light from his eyes to mine.  There’s a slight awareness that there is still a storm. But it flows past me on both sides.  My eyes are fixed.  We are focusing on each other and nothing else matters.

It’s a balance between faith and obedience.

As soon as I look down at the waves and pay attention to the cold wind, I start sinking.  Is this doubt and fear?   Oh no.  I was looking into Jesus’ eyes.  Where did they go?

Who’s eyes moved?

Down I’m falling, going to my death.  Choking and drowning.  I cry, “Save me Lord!”.

Jesus is speaking to me.

He reaches out his hand to me and lifts me gently back into the boat.  Jesus gets in with me, and lovingly asks me why I have so little faith.

So, I get another set of clothing on.  A warm dry set.  Now we worship him and know that he is God.  Adoration and praise….. and next time…

Trust and obey.  Next time, my mind is determined to trust.  Obedience is the matching piece of clothing.  Don’t we all get dressed up for a dance?

These are devotional thoughts which are inspired by the book, “Growing the Church in the Power of the Holy Spirit”, by Long, Stokes and Strickler.