Are you a staff for the Shepherd to lean on
A yielded heart to His plans for today?
A calendar filled with appointments
On His schedule and choice for your way?
For His burden grows lighter and lighter
And His yoke is a joy to receive
When He gathers the weak and the lowly
To follow and simply believe
Through trials and troubles He leads us
His voice rings more clearly each day
Though dark paths and steep valleys lie just up ahead
He safely carries His lambs all the way!
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Isaiah 40:11 KJVHe Safely Carries His Lambs by Peter Caligiuri copyright 2021 all right reserved
He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. Matthew 14:29 ESV
When I first became a Christian, I was baptized in a swimming pool behind the church. That might seem strange for some people, but in Arizona having a church pool was not strange at all because it eliminated the need for an indoor baptistry and gave the young people somewhere to go on hot days. I had not read the Bible before Jesus found me and knew nothing more than the creation story and something about loving my neighbor. So, when I learned about Peter getting out of the boat and walking on the water to Jesus I was intrigued. I used to walk around the church pool putting my foot out on the water wondering if I could have enough faith to walk across it. Later, I learned that no one else has figured out that water walking thing since Jesus told Peter to come, 2,000 years ago but I still thought about what his first steps were like. Whether the sea was calm or churning with huge waves really did not matter. Neither option allowed for water walking. In fact, once you walk where feet are not supposed to be able to stand, it really does not matter how far you get from the boat or how deep the water is. You have now entered God’s universe of the impossible and the first thing to remember is that we are not standing on wave tops. We are launching out in faith on the word of Jesus Christ. If He says come, it no longer matters what others think. The only thing that counts is if He is calling, because when Jesus calls, He will also be there to catch you if you start to sink!
And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:38-39 ESV
And now it is Monday morning and the miracles, the drama with both the sorrows and joy of Holy week behind. What will we do with all that lies ahead?
What did the soldiers do who had guarded his tomb? Did Joseph of Arimathea open his shop, did Nicodemus go to the synagogue for morning prayer. And when His disciples and Mary, and Pontius Pilate woke to the same sunrise what thoughts passed through their minds?
Did they remember the earthquake and darkness? Did they speak of the tears, the gambling for the robe and the spear? Or will the shock, the amazement and the vision of angels on Sunday morning crowd out all other memories?
Or maybe some recalled His tenderness He touched one leper, stood in silent defense of the adulteress and raised a widow’s son to life? How often would they speak of loaves multiplied, waves stilled and blind eyes that could see? Or will we remember His words? Will their power still our seas, transform our ordinary moments and change forever the self seeking attitudes that govern our everyday lives? Will we be meek? Be listening? Wash feet? Give quietly to the poor? He died on Friday, rested on Saturday, rose on Easter Sunday and is now walking ahead of us on Monday. And more than all these, will we remember and take our own cross and follow Jesus Christ?
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