Got Idea?

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Got Idea?
By John Fischer

Most believers are familiar with the story of Jesus joining the disciples on the Sea of Galilee by walking on the water. It was three o’clock in the morning and a storm was buffeting their boat when Jesus showed up, initially adding to the disciple’s fear because they thought he was a ghost out on the raging sea. And most people know how Peter stepped out of the boat and courageously walked on the water to meet the Lord, until his fear of the storm and the waves overtook him, requiring the hand of Jesus to lift him up and take him safely back to the boat. But I bet not everyone recalls whose idea it was for Peter to walk on water in the first place. I’ve heard this story all my life and didn’t realize this until just recently. It was Peter’s own idea.

“Then Peter called to him, ‘Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you by walking on water’” (Matthew 14:28 LNT). This wasn’t a requirement of faith. It was not a test all the disciples had to pass at one time or another. It was not a spiritual hoop to jump through. It was a bold, rather stupid idea of Peter’s that Jesus decided to cooperate with. Notice Peter didn’t ask if he could come, he asked Jesus to invite him to come. Actually that’s pretty brilliant when you think about it. By asking Jesus to invite him, he is tying Jesus into the enterprise. If Jesus invites him to come, then Jesus is responsible for what might happen. Jesus isn’t going to invite Peter to walk out to him if he didn’t know he could do it, or save him if he couldn’t.

This says at least two things for us in relation to the task God has put us on earth to accomplish. 1) He wants our involvement. He wants to interact with our thoughts and ideas. God does not push us around like robots; he cooperates with us—he involves us in the process. 2) It helps to have an idea what you want to do.

Imagine what would happen if we started praying, “Lord, invite me to reach out in love to my neighbor today. Lord, invite me to share my faith with someone today. Lord, what would you think about a block party as a chance to get our neighborhood together and meet people? Would you like to invite me to do that?” Come to think of it, this could get pretty exciting.

What’s your idea in terms of your mission in the world? If you don’t have an idea, you just stay in the boat and watch someone else do it. And that’s kind of a drag.