Not About Me...Still!

So often, I wonder what it would've been like to be in Peter's shoes when he stepped out of that boat and onto the water toward Jesus.  You can read about it in Matthew 14:23-33.  Today's PW Devotional made me think about Peter again.

 

I am torn between which would've been more crazy and amazing...actually SEEING Jesus walk on the water toward me or having Him command me to "come" to Him...you know, getting out of the made for floating on the water boat and walking on the water, with my made for walking on solid ground feet.  What is even more interesting is Peter told the Lord, " Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."  Jesus did command him to, and Peter climbed out of that boat and started walking toward Jesus.

 

Many preachers will tell you "the storms of life swirled around Peter, catching his attention and taking his focus off of Jesus..." that is why he began to sink.  I disagree. 

 

I think Peter had the same problem you and I have today.  When anything good starts to happen involving Jesus, we do that internal stall and think, "look what I'm doing for Jesus!"  Like Peter, our focus shifts off of Christ and onto ourselves.  It's like we're taking a huge spotlight and swiveling it onto us and off of Jesus.

 

That's wrong.

That's pride.

That's all about me.

Which leads me to today's PW Devotion.  I thought it was an excellent reminder that this Christian life we're living, isn't about us at all.  It is still all about God.  His glory.  His power.  His plan.

 

Our part to play?  To say YES!  To be an obedient tool for His use, His glory and His purpose.

 

May we all shine the spotlight on Jesus today and every day! 

PlanetWisdom.com Devotionals

---

LIve Different: Use God's Power Posted: 08 Nov 2009 09:00 AM PST "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:10-11) It's easy for us to walk around with the wrong idea of what Christianity is all about. We can get sidetracked into thinking Christianity is intended to make us better versions of ourselves -- as if Jesus came and lived and died and lived again just to make me a little nicer and better at helping people. That idea is wrong in two huge ways. First, Christianity isn't about us, at all. It's about God. It's about Him being praised through Jesus Christ and getting all the "glory and power for ever and ever." Second, Christianity isn't about making us better. We're not close enough to being good that getting better would help all that much. Nope, God wants us to do His work with His power, with His words, in His strength. God wants to be God through us -- not for us to be good enough on our own to accomplish His mission. Think: What are some ways God has asked you to serve Him with His gifts and His power? Would you say you're using His power to serve other people? What does that look like? Pray: Ask God to help you to use the gifts He has given you to serve others with His words and His strength. Do: Talk to your parents or youth leader or mentor about what your spiritual gifts might be and how you could use them best to serve God by serving others.

--
Mary E.Hickcox
www.CalvaryBaptistSM.org
http://mary-neotes.blogspot.com/