8-12-12 Sermon

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WHEN YOU FEEL YOU’RE SINKING

Hoping For A Miracle – Part 6

08-12-12 Sermon

 I want us to look at when you’ve got that sinking feeling. 

We are concluding the series on miracles of Jesus and miracles in the Bible.  I want us to look at a miracle that is actually recorded three times in the Bible.  Matthew records it, Mark records it and John records it.  It is the miracle of Jesus walking on the water.

Why did Jesus do this?  Jesus never did a miracle to show off.  In fact, nobody saw this miracle except the disciples.  It was only for them.  And he did it intentionally to teach them about how to trust God in tough times, in a storm, when you feel like you’re sinking.

The background of the miracle we’re going to look at today is this:  That afternoon Jesus had done one of the greatest miracles that had spread all over Israel.  Everybody knew about this soon.  That was the feeding of five thousand people. 

So after that Jesus says, I’m going to head up to the mountain and I’m going to pray for a while by myself, which is a good thing to do after you’ve had a great success in life.  But then he also tells the disciples, I want you to get in the boat; and he immediately sends them up to Bethsaida. 

This miracle had happened by the Sea of Galilee, and Bethsaida is just a little town about two hours up the road, up the coastline.  So they’re not going to have to cross the entire lake.  They’ll just hover up near the edge and they’ll be there in a couple hours.  Jesus says, go on up to Bethsaida and I’ll be there in a little bit. I’ll see you there.  But I’m going to go pray.

We pick up the story in Mark 6:45 “Immediately [after this miracle of feeding the five thousand] Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up alone on a mountainside to pray.  When evening came, the boat [which had all the disciples in it] was in the middle of the lake, [What in the world was it doing in the middle of the lake?  This is miles in the wrong direction.  All they needed to do was just go north up the coastline.]  and he was alone on the land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them.” 

This story, as I said, is told in Matthew, in Mark and in John.  So we get details in all three. What we discover is a storm came up.  Their intended direction gets blown off course and they’re out in the middle of the lake, and they can’t get back to shore.  They’ve been straining at the oars because the wind was against them.

“About the fourth watch of the night [that’s three to six a.m. - in the morning] Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. [!!]  He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost.[You don’t normally see people walking by your boat when you’re in the middle of the lake at night. So they think it’s a ghost.] They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified.  Immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage!  It is I.  Don’t be afraid.’ Then he [Jesus] climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down.  [The Bible tells us in another passage, the storm stopped instantly.]  They were completely amazed, [the disciples] for they had not understood about the loaves; [In other words they hadn’t learned the lesson of the previous miracle.  They were still not figuring out what he was doing here] their hearts were hardened.”

What’s going on here?  Jesus has a lesson of faith he wants to teach them.  A lesson about what do you do when you feel like you’re sinking? What do you do when you feel you’re going under?  What do you do when the waves are bashing up against you and over you and in your boat?  What do you do and how do you trust God?

We’re going to look at that today.  But before we do I want to give you quickly five signs that you’re sinking. You may not realize it when you’re sinking.  You may be sinking financially.  You may be sinking relationally.  You may be sinking emotionally.  You’re just drained and feel like, I’m going under.  There are five symptoms of that.  Here are the symptoms.

·      First, I know I’m sinking when I can’t see my way.

I just feel like I’m in the dark.  I’m in a cloud. I don’t have any clarity. I don’t have any vision.  I’m confused.  The Bible says in John 6 “By now it was dark.” 

Two thousand years ago in Israel without electricity, if you’re in the middle of a lake and storm clouds have completely covered all of the moon and all of the stars, it’s pitch black.  You can’t see your hand in front of you.  One of the first signs that you’re going under is you can’t see your way.

·      Second, I know I’m sinking when I feel I’m on my own. 

I feel alone.  I’m rowing against the storm, but I’m all by myself.  Nobody else is helping me.  I don’t know where God is.  I feel out of touch with God.  The Bible says in John 6, “Jesus had not yet joined them.”  When you feel like you’re on your own, you start getting a little frightened.

·      I’m sinking when I feel I’m out of my comfort zone.

When I start to feel a little insecure.  So they’re in this storm and they can’t just bail out of the boat and swim back to shore. They’re miles out.  Way off course.

Maybe you’ve felt like you’ve been blown off course by this recession or blown off course by a conflict or blown off course by a fear of something happening.  So your plans are all off course.

·      Strong forces are against me.

I feel like I’m sinking when strong forces are against me.  The Bible tells us that they were tossed and battered around by the waves in Matthew. John tells us that the waters grew rough.  Mark 6 says the wind was against them.  The word that’s actually used here in Greek where it says the waters and the waves are rough is the word megas.  We get the word “mega” from it.  Mega storm. 

Some of you right now may be going through a mega storm.  Strong forces are against you.

How do I know when I’m sinking?  I can’t see my way, I feel like I’m on my own, I’m out of my comfort zone, strong forces are against me…

·      I’m struggling, but I’m failing.

I’m doing my best, but I’m still going under.  I’m straining, I’m struggling, I’m rowing the boat but I’m not getting back to safety.  I’m not getting back to shore.  I’m not making any progress.  Mark 6:48 says “They were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the winds and the waves.” 

Some of you may be feeling this way these days.  You’re in serious trouble.  You’re struggling but you’re failing.

What does God want you to do in that situation?  More important: What does God do in this situation? What does Jesus do when I’m sinking?

I don’t know what kind of problem you’re going through.  I don’t know what the storms are in your life.  I don’t know what area of your life you feel you’re sinking in.  But I do know this: When we go through tough problems we typically think that God has forgotten us.  We think that God is not aware, that he’s a million miles away, that he’s not doing anything about what we’re going through.  Because if he were, we think we’d be going through smooth sailing. 

Nothing could be further from the truth!  The fact is, every time you go through a storm, God is doing four things.  We find them illustrated in this story of Jesus walking on water. 

1.   Jesus prays for me before it happens. 

Even before I hit the storm, Jesus prays for me before I get into it.  The Bible tells us in Matthew 14 that Jesus was up on the mountain praying for his disciples as he sent them out into the storm.

Most of the time in life when we’re going through problems, pressures, difficulties, things like that – it’s because of our disobedience. It’s the number one cause.  When I don’t do what God tells me to do, I always get into trouble.  Disobedience causes storms. 

But sometimes you do the right thing.  Sometimes you obey what God tells you to do.  You listen to his voice and it still sends you into a storm.  Some of the storms in your life don’t necessarily mean you’re sinning.  It may mean you followed what God told you to do. 

This is one of the great lessons of Job. Job had done nothing wrong in his life and yet over a period of a couple days he lost his entire family, he lost his entire wealth, his wife stayed alive but he lost all of his kids.  He lost his health, he lost his reputation, he lost his power.  All in just a matter of days.  And Job had no idea what was going on.

The Bible tells us Job had done nothing wrong.  In fact, God says Job was a blameless man.  He was a righteous dude.  He wasn’t some big evil, wicked, mean, bad, and nasty sinner type person.  He was a good man.  Yet the worst that could possibly happen, happened to him.  Job says this in Job 19:8 “God has blocked my way and plunged my path into darkness.” 

I have no doubt some of you have felt that way.  I have this dream but … God has blocked my way and I am in darkness. 

Let me just say this.  Some storms that you go through, we’re just not going to understand until we get to heaven; so you might as well give up.  You can spend all your time asking why, and you’re not going to get the answers, but you can know this: that Jesus prays for me before it happens.

Jesus knows all that’s going to happen in your life. And you know the good thing?  He’s already prayed for you. Just like Jesus was up on the mountain praying for those disciples who were out in the storm, he’s already prayed for you through the storms you’re going to go through this week, this month, and this year.

Here’s what he said in Luke 22:32 “Jesus said, ‘Peter I have prayed for you, that you will not lose your faith! Help your brothers be strong when you come back to me.”  He tells this to Peter right after he says, Here’s what you’re going to do: you’re going to deny me three times.  What did Jesus do?  He’d already prayed for Peter in the storm he was going to go through.

The Bible says that right now while he’s in heaven, Jesus’ job is praying for his children.  That’s what he’s doing for you.  He is interceding.  That means when you talk to somebody else on behalf of someone else.  He’s interceding for you.

Romans 8:34 when you’re going through tough times, when you’re being tempted, when you’re failing, when you’re losing your faith it says “Who condemns us?  Not Jesus Christ, who died and then was raised back to life and is now at the right side of God interceding for us!”  Circle “is now” and “interceding.”  That’s what Jesus is doing.  He’s praying for you to make it through your storms.  He is now interceding for us.

2.  The second thing Jesus does when you’re in a storm: he notices my struggle.

He prays for me before it happens and second, he notices my struggle, the storm I’m going through.  The Bible says in Mark 6:48 “Jesus saw the disciples straining at the oars.”  They’re trying to keep the ship afloat and trying to get back to shore. They were straining at the oars and he saw it. 

He sees where you’re straining.  Jesus sees where you’re struggling.

Job 31:4.  Job’s going through all these problems and it says “He sees everything I do and counts every step I take.”  You don’t even count every step you take.  But God does.  That’s how detailed he is in your life.  In fact, God knows your life far, far better than you do.  He notices a growth on your hand before you notice it.  He notices something that’s out of whack in your life before you notice it.  He cares about every detail and he’s paying attention.

Not only does Jesus see when I’m going through the storm He also sympathizes with it.

The Bible says this “Jesus is able to sympathize with our weaknesses.  He was tempted in every way that we are, but he didn’t sin.”  Why can Jesus sympathize with the storms you go through?  Because he went through them.  God became a human being.  God came to earth.  That’s what Christmas is all about.  God came in human form and he came as Jesus Christ.  And he lived as a human being.  So he goes, You having problems right now?  Been there.  Done that.  He knows what it’s like to have temptations of every possible kind.  So when you talk to God about the storm you’re in, he’s not going, I wonder what that’s like.  He’s been there.  He knows the tension that you feel in your life. 

He prays before it happens and he notices my struggle.

3.  The third thing Jesus does while I’m going through a storm is he comes at my moment of desperation. 

He comes at my moment of desperation.  At the very moment I’m ready to give up, that is the time he shows up in my life. Not a moment sooner and not a moment too late.  He comes to me at my moment of desperation.

The Bible says this in Mark 6 “About the fourth watch of the night he [Jesus] went out to them walking on the lake.”  This verse is filled with truth.  Let’s take it apart.

First it says “about the fourth watch.”  What is the fourth watch?  The fourth watch is between three a.m. and six a.m. in the morning.  So these guys are exhausted.  They have been fighting the storm now for at least nine hours.  Rowing hard, trying to save the boat, trying to save their lives, for at least nine hours.

Let me give you the background again.  Jesus, where he had done the miracle, he puts them in the boat.  Bethsaida is only two hours up the shoreline.  All they have to do is get in the boat.  They should have been there seven hours ago.  It’s not a hard trip.  It’s kind of like Gilligan’s Island – a three hour tour. 

But sometimes a storm comes and you’re blown way off schedule.  Have you ever had a storm blow you out of the water?  Have you ever had a storm blow you off course? 

The storm has blown them way, way off course. So they are simply exhausted.  But they’re also frustrated because they’ve worked hard at rowing.  As I said they’re not even trying to get to Bethsaida any more.  They just want to get to safety. 

The same thing that happened to these guys, the disciples, happened to the sailors in the story of Jonah.  The Bible says this in Jonah 1:13 “The men did their best [they’re in a storm too] to row back to land, but they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before.” 

What does Jesus do when you’re at your moment of desperation?  I love this.  “About the fourth watch of the night, he went out to them.”  He goes out to them.  When you’re at your point of desperation, Jesus comes to you!  I like that.  What a God.  He doesn’t wait for me to get to him because I can’t get to him.  I’m stuck in a boat that’s sinking in the middle of the sea.  But he comes to you.

I love the fact that Jesus did not stand on the shore line and shout instructions. “Try going this way!” When you’re in a storm you don’t need advice; you need a miracle. You need somebody to show up − God to show up, and to come out to you.  And this is what Jesus did.  He went out to where they were.  He intervened in their storm.  And friends, that’s the gospel.  That God doesn’t stand on the shoreline telling us what to do.  He comes out and meets us in our pain, in our fear, in our depression, in our storm, in our discouragement.  He comes to us.  What a God!

You may feel abandoned right now, but you’re not.  The Bible says this in John 14 “I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm. I will come to you.”  Count on it!

How does he come?  He comes walking on the very problem that scares you.  He’s walking on the whitecaps.  What are they afraid of?  The waves. We’re afraid that the waves are going to kill us.  What does Jesus do?  He just comes walking on them.  Jesus is making a point here.  I just want you guys to know that whatever is over your head is under my feet.

So what are you worried about?  Whatever is over your head is under his feet. He walks on the very problem that scares you.

That leads us to the fourth thing that Jesus does in the storm.

4.  He shows me his true identity.

Jesus shows me his true identity.  You only learn what Jesus is really like in the storms of life. In the storms of life, you see he’s not mere man.  He’s not just a nice teacher. He’s not an ethical leader.  He is God.  The creator of the universe.

Mark 6 “When the disciples saw him [Jesus] walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said.” I love this.  The word here in Greek, ‘it’s a ghost’ is the word we get “phantom” from.  Like Phantom of the Opera.  It’s a phantom!  Why?  Because you don’t normally have someone come walking by in the middle of a river or lake or ocean. 

“‘It’s a ghost,’ they cried out in fear.  But Jesus immediately said, ‘Take courage.  It is I. Don’t be afraid.’”  What is Jesus doing?  By walking on water, Jesus is revealing he’s far more than a man.  The disciples had doubted that Jesus was… maybe he’s just a nice prophet and he can do some miracles. Now he’s walking on water. He’s saying I’m God.  And Jesus does three things here.  He gives them reassurance.  He gives them a challenge. And he gives them revelation.

He gives them a reassurance.  He says take courage.  He gives them a challenge: Don’t be afraid.  And he gives them a reassurance. He says “It is I.” 

Circle that.  That’s not even the best translation.  Because what Jesus actually says there is not It is I.  He says “I am”. I am – that’s what he says.  In the Greek it’s two words.  Ego ima.  Ego is the word we get “ego” from – like ego trip.  It is the Greek word for I.  Ego means I.  And ego ima simple means “I am.”  So what Jesus actually says when he walks out on the water to these guys is “Take courage, don’t be afraid, I am.” 

I am?  What is he saying?  I am?  What does that mean?  “I am” is the name of God.  When Moses asks God “Lord, when I go to these people in Egypt and I tell them God spoke to me and they say what’s God’s name?  What am I supposed to say?  And God said, “Tell them I am sent you.” 

God’s name is “I am that I am.”  Not I was.  Not I will be. Not I hope to be. I am. I am sufficient for everything in your life.  When Jesus says I am, he is saying you don’t need to be afraid. You don’t need to sweat it.  I am God.

Seventeen times in the New Testament Jesus uses the phrase “I am.” I am the bread of life.  So I can satisfy all your hungers.  I am the door, so I can create opportunities in ways that you never even thought of.  I am the vine and you’ll only live a fruitful life if you’re connected to me. I am the good shepherd so you don’t ever have to be afraid.  I’m going to take care of you.  He says I am the way out of your confusion.  I am the truth that sets you free.  I am the life.  You’re really just existing until you’ve got me in your life.  I am the resurrection.  You don’t need to fear death.  Seventeen times Jesus says ego ima - I am. 

Don’t you ever forget that when you’re going through a storm, God is not some distant, apathetic, uninvolved God. He’s doing those four things in the storm that you’re in at that moment.  

But he also has some things he wants you to do.  Five things to do if you’re sinking.  If you’re sinking in a relationship.  If you’re sinking in your finances.  If your health is sinking.  Whatever it is, you need to do these five things.  Jesus gives us these instructions from the story.

         1)  Have courage because Jesus is with me. 

That’s the starting point.  I need to have courage in the storm.  Why?  Not because of myself but because Jesus is with me.

Remember what courage is.  Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is when you move ahead in spite of your fears. If you’re not afraid you don’t need courage.  Courage is when you do the right thing even though you’re scared to death to do it.  That’s courage. Doing the right thing in spite of your fear. Not the absence of fear.

So you need to have courage because Jesus is with me.

         2)  You need to take a risk in faith.

When you are most afraid, when you are most scared, when you feel like you’re going under for the third time and the waves are coming up against your boat and they’re lapping into your boat and over your boat, you take a risk in faith.

In this story, in Matthew’s telling of the story he adds a detail that John and Mark leave out.  That is this: Peter walked on water too.  That’s in this part of the story. Notice it says in Matthew 14, Jesus comes walking along and Peter sees him walking along and he says this, “‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come,’ Jesus said.  So Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water and came to Jesus.” 

Can you imagine what a rush that was?  You talk about the experience of a lifetime!  He got the gold, because he’s the only competitor.  “What event did you enter in the Olympics, Peter?”  I’m the water walker. 

Notice he says “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.”  Before jumping out, Peter asks for ID.  Lord, if it’s you, can I join you? 

Too often we get an idea and then we ask God to bless it. Don’t ask God to bless what you’re doing. Do what God is blessing.  Say, God what do you want me to do?  If it’s you, tell me; and if you tell me, then I’m out of the boat in an instant.

And he jumps out of the boat.  Peter had learned the lesson that is the most important lesson you need to learn from this text.  It’s this: It is safer to be with Jesus out of the boat than in the boat without Jesus.  When you’re in a storm, when you’re handling a crisis – an emotional crisis or any other crisis – it is safer to be out of the boat with Jesus than it is to be back in the boat without Jesus.  Does that make sense? 

Peter knows it’s safer out there than it is here because Jesus is out there. He really didn’t want to walk on water as much as he just wanted to be with Jesus.  So what you need to do is not focus on the storm but focus on him.  He says if I can be with Jesus, the walking on water is the easy part.  If I’m with the Lord, he’s going to take care of my needs. 

I love the fact that Jesus says to Peter, he doesn’t say you’ve got to be kidding, Peter. No. He says, Come on down.  Come on down, Peter.

I bet Jesus was so pleased when Peter said can I come out there too?  Can I come out there and be with you?  Lord, it’s scary but I want to be with you. 

That pleases the Lord.  I’m sure Jesus smiled when he said, Come on!  Come on out Peter.  So Peter hops out of the boat and he goes over there.  He has the experience of a lifetime.  And Jesus is pleased.  Why?  Because faith always pleases Jesus.  

The Bible says without faith it’s impossible to please God. If you’re not taking any risks, you can’t possibly please Jesus.  Because it doesn’t require any faith.  If nothing in your life requires faith then you’re not living by faith. So you need to take a risk and as John Ortberg’s famous book says, if you want to walk on water you’ve got to get out of the boat. 

Where do you need to get out of the boat right now?  You want to walk on water?  You’ve got to get out of the boat.  You’ve got to take a risk.  You have courage because Jesus is with you. 

         3)  Stay focused on Jesus.

This is what you need to do if you’re sinking.  Don’t get your eyes on anything else. Keep your eyes on the Lord.  Because the moment you get your eyes off the Lord, you’re going under.

This is what happened to Peter.  In verse 30 it says “But when Peter looked around [oh-oh! There’s trouble!] when Peter looked around at the high waves, he was terrified [well duh!] and he began to sink, ‘Save me, Lord!’ he shouted.” 

Again this verse is filled with truth.  First, it says when Peter looked around.  Every time you start looking at your circumstances you’re going down.  If you look at the world you’ll be distressed, if you look within you’ll be depressed, if you look at Christ you’ll be at rest.  It’s all in what you have your focus on.

So keep your eyes on the Lord.  He looked around.  What had changed?  Nothing.  Same waves, same storm, same darkness, same boat, same Jesus, same Peter.  One moment he’s walking on water, and the next moment he’s sinking.  What’s the only difference?  The difference is what he’s looking at. 

What are you looking at?  If you look at your problems, you’re going down.  You’re sinking. 

Someone suggested maybe someone in the boat called out.  “Peter you can’t do that!” like doubting Thomas!

There will always be people in the boat that tell you it can’t be done. They’re not going to get out of the boat.  They’re not going to trust Jesus.  They’re not going to take any risk. They’re going to sit back and criticize you for doing it.  “You can’t do that Peter.  Don’t you know, nobody can walk on water?  Haven’t you heard?  It’s impossible.”  Never listen to opinions in the boat when God tells you to get out of the boat.  If God tells you to do it, it’s going to work.  But just make sure, is it you, Lord, who told me to do it. 

When I trust instead of think, I walk instead of sink.  

Change your focus. Stop focusing on all your problems.  Stop focusing on how you are going to solve your problems and start spending time with the Lord.  You need to listen to the Lord.  You’re going to look at the problem or you’re going to look at the solver.  Stay focused on Jesus.

         4)  The fourth thing Jesus tells them to do in the storm is don’t doubt.

You need to believe your beliefs and you need to doubt your doubts.  Doubts are meant to be doubted.  Beliefs are meant to be believed. 

Peter looks around and he starts to sink.  The Bible says in verse 31 “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him ‘You of little faith,’ he said.  ‘Why did you doubt?’”  I don’t even think this was that big of a rebuke to Peter, because at least Peter had gotten out of the boat.  Notice Jesus reaches down and says “You of little faith.  Why did you doubt?” 

Notice he didn’t say, “You of no faith.”  The no faith people were those who never got out of the boat.  They are the no faith people.  The people who never get out of the boat, who just want to criticize those who do get out.  But he says “you of little faith.”

What is this saying?  Jesus is saying it only took a little faith to walk on water.  A lot of times we think the problem we don’t have any miracles is because we don’t have great faith.  You don’t need great faith.  It’s not the size of your faith that matters; it’s the size of your God.  Put a little faith in a big God and you get big results. On the other hand, if you have big faith but you put it in the wrong thing, you’re going to get no results. 

What is faith?  Faith is something you do.  You’ve got to get out of the boat to show faith.  Faith isn’t, oh I believe!  I believe!  No, you’ve got to put it on the line.  The other guys have no faith. Peter takes the risk.

Everybody has faith.  We’re not talking about having faith or not.  We’re talking about who you put it in.  You put it in all the wrong things and that’s why you get disappointed.  Put your faith in God!

         5)  Praise God.

Praise God even in the situation.  Even in the storm.  Even when you feel like you’re sinking.  Even when you’re scared to death.  Praise him all the time.  You thank God in the storm.

You have two options in storms.  You can either worry or you can worship. You’ll do one or the other.  You can either panic or you can pray.  You can tremble or you can trust. You can have fear or you can have faith.  It is your choice. Worry or worship.

Matthew 14 it says “When Jesus climbed into the boat, the wind died down.”  The other chapters in John and Mark tell us that the storm stopped instantly.  Here we’ve got the fourth miracle. Instant stop of the storm.  “When Jesus climbed into the boat, the storm stopped.  Then those who were in the boat worshipped him.  [circle “worshipped him”] saying ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’” 

The Titanic was supposed to be unsinkable.  There’s only been one unsinkable boat ever created. It was this little fishing boat.  Because when Jesus is in your boat, it isn’t going to sink.  There’s no way it’s going to sink if Jesus is in the boat. 

Prayer:

      Would you pray this prayer?  Dear Jesus, you know the storms I’m going through right now that scare me to death. I can’t see my way. It’s dark.  I often feel like I’m on my own.  I’m definitely out of my comfort zone.  I feel like strong forces are against me.  I’m being tossed and battered around.  The waters are rough and the winds against me. I’ve been struggling for nine hours, but failing. I’m not any closer to security and safety than I was nine hours ago.  Thank you for praying for me.  Thank you that you knew this was going to happen even before it happened.  Thank you that you are interceding for me in heaven right now.  Thank you that you notice my struggle.  Thank you that you count every step I take.  Thank you that you’re able to sympathize with my weaknesses.  Thank you that you come to me at my point of desperation.  In the fourth watch you come out to me walking on the problems that are scaring me.  Thank you that you’ve promised to never abandon me as an orphan in the storm but you will come to me.  Help me to see you for who you are in this situation.  Help me to take courage because you’re with me. Help me to not be afraid because the great I am is in my midst.  Help me to take that risk of faith and do the thing I fear the most.  Help me to get out of the boat so I can walk on water. Help me to stay focused on you, Jesus, and not keep looking at the high waves which terrify me and cause me to sink.  Lord, I pray the prayer that Peter prayed, save me, Lord.  I say it with passion.  I say it with pointedness. I say it directed to you: save me, Lord.  Help me to not doubt but to praise you in the middle of the storm, to worship you instead of worry, to trust you instead of tremble, to pray instead of panic. I open my life completely to you, Jesus Christ.  Be the captain of my ship, the manager of my life, the Lord of me.  In your name I pray.  Amen.