Recognizing Our Limitations

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”-Matthew 14:29-30


I love the story about Peter walking on the water.  It is one of those Bible stories that you can study from a variety of different angles.  You can look at it from the perspective of Jesus, Peter or the other disciples.  It is about both success and failure; about both faith and lack of faith; and it is about the kind of courage we can only possess with faith in Christ.


Peter is my favorite disciple.  I can really relate to him.  One minute he is professing his love for Jesus, and the next he is denying him... not just at the end, but really all through Jesus' ministry on earth.  It is so comforting to know that Jesus loves Peter in spite of his failures.


But Peter's failure in this story is to be applauded.  The second Peter thought he was walking on water under his own power, he sank.  Peter had to be reminded of his limits.  In the VdC Pilgrims guide there is an Examination of Conscience that helps us to see where we fail or succeed in our Christian walk.  One part reminds us that we need to be aware of and accept our limits.  This often comes under question from some of us... shouldn't we always strive to stretch our limits?  


I think it is important to accept our limits so that Christ can work in us to exceed those limits.  If we think we can do everything for ourselves, we forget to ask for God's help.  When we forget to ask for God's help, we are surely going to fail in those areas where we are, indeed limited.  


In my Christian walk, I have indeed surpassed my limitation, but only through faith that Christ is working through me.  The minute I lose my humility and think that I am walking on that water under my own power, that is when I surely sink.  And it is so easy, once we have experienced success, to believe that it is by our own greatness.  We want to accept all the accolades for a job well done.  But we soon find that unless we keep that connection with our Lord, we cannot keep it up by ourselves.  


Thank God that even when we begin to fail from trying to do the miraculous under our own power, we need only cry out, "Help me, Lord!" and he will be right there helping us back up on our feet.


Oh, that we could keep such steady faith in Jesus that we could simply close our eyes and dance on the water!


Lord,
Thank you that everything doesn't depend on us, but help our faith in you to be strong enough to depend on you to work in us to surpass our limitations.  Amen.


Joys:  Another awesome night at VBS; a VERY productive day at work; a long, full, difficult and also fun week coming to an end.