Have
you gone far enough with God to actually trust Him? When Peter stepped out of the boat and into
the storm, it was a most unhappy outcome for him in some ways. He was soaked and nearly drowned by the lake
and then rebuked for his lack of faith.
But he alone was willing to go out enough after God to risk disaster in
his "faithing" and gain through it the "grip of God". You don't have to look far in the Christian
community to find boat sitters who prefer the safety of imagined faith over
deadly storm faith. It has been made
popular lately to scoff at David's courage in stepping out against Goliath as
if he had some secret weapon or deadly insight into Goliath's fatal
weakness. No one else stepped forward
and advanced away from the safety of the battle lines. Was David the only one who knew how to use a
sling? Was Goliath feeble and clumsy and
half blind? Would the Philistines really have been so drunk with contempt for
the Israelites to send such a creature out as their champion? If so, wouldn't someone else among the
Hebrew soldiers have seen it too that Goliath posed no real risk? What David possessed was storm faith. He would not let his fear stand in the way of
going out into the chaos of walking with God.
And that really is the discovery of 1 Samuel 17. Rare is there such hope in God, a sort of
violent hope, that keeps the few strong while the rest hide behind the safety
of the battle line and never experience that hope gained as the hot breath of Satan
blows upon them. Are you among the elite
who will risk all you have to gain God on the battlefield, in the storm, at
your office, school, mission field or home?
Is there a heroic urge to go with God into the fiery blast of the
furnace and stand firm there beside Him?
Has God already pointed the way out of complacency and lukewarm faith
and do you stand at the edge of the boat, trying to decide if you will be the
one to step out into the storm? Will it
be said of you in the pavilions of eternity that when everyone else hesitated,
you walked with God even as Satan cast his horrific gale into your face? You stood and kept your post when all others
abandoned theirs and in the moment of despair you found Christ strong and
faithful and His courage sufficient for your hour! Few discover supernatural courage and
strength because they never go where it is needed. What grace there is for those who abandon
themselves to the Christ who calls them to come forth from the boat and join
Him in the events where legends are made and tales of faith are told forever!
As
he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped
out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 1 Samuel 17:23-24 NIV
1 comment:
Awesome! I love your boldness in speaking up manifested in your words. God really want to see more people to shine out brilliantly.
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