““Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.” Matthew 14:29 NIV
The first step is always the hardest. The first step towards a new relationship. The first step towards forgiveness in an old relationship. The first step to a healthier lifestyle. No matter what the “first step” is, it’s always the hardest one to take. In Peter’s case, his first step was to defy all odds and walk on water. What was it that gave Peter the strength to take the first step? His faith in Jesus. Peter was able to take the first step because Jesus told him too. He trusted Jesus. He had faith in Jesus. The first step is always the hardest, but if our faith is in Jesus, we’ll have the strength to take it.
One of the most famous first step’s every taken was by Neil Armstrong. Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first men to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969. Armstrong went first. That step was covered in prayer by the Apollo Prayer League (APL). The APL was formed to protect the religious rights of Astronauts. Because of them, Aldrin was allowed to conduct communion on the Apollo 11. Before he walked on the moon, he took communion. The scripture he read from a 3×5 card: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me” (John 15:5 KJV). The first thing the astronauts did when they landed on the moon was thank God. The first act done on the moon by man was remember Jesus through communion. The astronaut’s faith was in Jesus, just like Peter’s. Instead of walking on water, they walked on the moon. When we focus on Jesus, there’s no step we can’t take.
When we focus on Jesus, there’s no step we can’t take.
Peter was looking at Jesus when he took his first step out of the boat. Aldrin was focusing on Jesus when he celebrated communion. We have to keep our eyes on the Son in order for Him to light our path. Paul, in his letter to the Phillipians says he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him (Phil 4:13 NIV). We can tap into the same strength Paul did. The same strength Peter did. The same strength Aldrin did. We can take the first step we need to take in our own lives if we focus our eyes on Jesus. When keep the Son in our eyes, He’ll give us the strength to take the step.
Question of the Day:
What first steps do you need to tap into Jesus’ strength to take today?
Further Reading:Genesis 44:1-45:28 NIV, Matthew 14:13-36 NIV, Psalm 18:37-50 NIV, Proverbs 4:11-13 NIV
I enjoyed the story about astronauts a piece of information I was not previously aware of. I pleased to read about the Apollo prayer league.