"Truly You are the Son of God"

Matthew 14:22-32
"Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.  During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.  But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."  "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
"Come," he said.  Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

I know that I've written about this before, but today I feel the need to focus on it again.  I read this passage today, and my thoughts went back to 3 1/2 years ago when we had to decide if we were going to say "Yes" to travel to meet Jachin & Josiah.  Because of their health, we struggled with saying "Yes".  Would we be able to handle their needs?  However, before we got the call from our adoption coordinator that morning, Greg had read this passage, and his question was, "God are you calling us out of the relative safety of our boat?" 

The wind was fierce; the sky was dark.  At first Peter didn't even know for sure if it was a ghost or his Lord.  Peter said, "If it is you, tell me to come to you on the water."  Jesus said one word, "COME".  And Peter stepped out on the water.  WOW!  Yes, his faith wavered.  He was afraid.  Jesus had to save him. 
Today after I thought about the difficult decision we were faced with 3 1/2 years ago, my thoughts turned to present day.  Do I hear Him when He says, "Come!"  If I hear Him, am I willing to step out of my false safety and into the storm where I am safer because He has called me there?"  Am I so concerned about staying comfortable that I pretend that I didn't hear the one word..."Come"?   When I get out of the boat, will I keep my eyes fixed on Jesus or will I doubt? 

When I get the questions, "Why Ethiopia?"  Why two more?  Why not USA?  Why not request babies?  Why not request girls?"  ...and on and on and on...  I think I will simply answer from now on, "Because we heard Him say 'Come', and this is where He told us to walk." 

I honestly don't know where this walk of faith will take our family.  I'm just not content with "merely comfortable", though admittedly, part of me longs to shut my eyes and pretend that I don't see the pain in the world.  If I don't see it, then I'm not responsible to act, right?  But the Bible says in James, "Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."  God's Word also tells us to care for orphans and widows.  It tells us to Love our neighbor.  I think that means to love them more than I love me.
I'm not there yet.........

I saw this quote today by Philip Yancy, "A person who lives in faith must proceed on incomplete evidence, trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse." 

So, I ask myself again...Are we willing to follow when He says, "Come", even when the world thinks we are crazy?  Maybe He won't ask "Crazy" of us...maybe He will...maybe He already has...But my life is not my own.  Praise God, my life is not my own!   And more than anything, OH more than anything, I want to live this life and end this life with the eyes of those who know me, turning their eyes away from me to look to my Lord and say, "Truly You are the Son of God."