Grace For The Journey

  Did you know that faith leaves footprints?  So do doubt and fear.  The difference is found in the one making the footprint.  The footprints of doubt and fear are the ones we make; the footprints of faith are made by our Faithful Savior . . . and these are the ones that we are to walk in.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”  From this verse we are taught that the footprints of faith is the difference between walking (living) by sight (focusing on the natural) and walking by faith (focusing on the supernatural).  The Bible is full of both examples.  Today, we will take a look at both extremes in one passage:

“Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’  And they cried out for fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Be of good cheer!  It is I.  Do not be afraid.’  And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ‘Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord save me!’  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him and said to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.”  (Matthew 14:25-32)

When you think about it, it was really no big deal for Jesus to be walking on water.  He is the One who created the water and who sustains all things by His powerful word (Hebrews 1:3).  But for Peter to do it was another thing altogether.  For Peter to get out of the boat and walk on the water required that he walk by faith and not by sight.  He needed to trust in Jesus and not himself.  And this biblical account tells us that is exactly what happened . . . at least at first.

But Peter turned his focus away from Jesus and locked on to his circumstances – the winds and the waves. He began to sink as soon as he started walking by sight.  What a wonderful example we have of the difference between walking by faith and by sight!

The footprints of faith are only found when we

are walking in power of Christ and His Word.

In his natural ability, Peter could never have walked on the top of the water.  But when he trusted totally in Jesus, he was able to rise above the natural and walk in the supernatural.

So . . . where in your life do you need to shift your focus away from your circumstances – the winds and waves of challenge – and put them back on Christ?  What boat of unbelief do you need to step out of today so that you can walk in the footprints of your faithful Savior?  Take that step by faith, and take it now.  You’ll be glad you did.

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”