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Writer's pictureImmanuel Baptist Church

May 22 Devotion:Getting to Jesus

GETTING TO JESUS

Matthew 14:22-31 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

[23] And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

[24] But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

[25] And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

[26] And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

[27] But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

[28] And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

[29] And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

[30] But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

[31] And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

The disciples were a long distance from the land.  Their boat was being tattered by the waves of a tumultuous sea for the winds were contrary.  Here these men were desperately struggling to get the boat to the shore that was a great distance away, in the midst of a fierce and violent storm.  It was in this stormy moment that they saw the Lord, although at first they thought HE was a spirit.  But the Lord cried out to them and said “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”  They all saw and heard the Lord in the midst of that storm, but only one desired to get out of the boat and go to Jesus and that was Peter.

What would motivate a person to get out of a boat in the middle of the sea during a torrential storm and abandon the only thing keeping him alive? This must have been a powerful motivator to subdue all fear and give Peter the courage to go! The motivator was Jesus Himself. Peter asks the Lord to let him come to HIM and that’s when Jesus calls out to Peter to “come.”  Jesus bid him to get out of the boat and come to HIM!  As a Christian, our greatest motivator is Jesus, knowing that HE wants us to come to HIM in every situation.  Each and every day the Lord bids us to come to HIM for every need and for every fearful moment that we may face.  The power of Jesus to draw us to Himself is more powerful than any storm that could ever sweep over our life. It is at HIS bidding that we become courageous and blinded to the dangers around us, for in HIS presence they cease to exist.

Peter did not care that he was the only one. He only wanted to get to Jesus; THE ONE who was CALLING to him. Peter knew that for this he was born, to abandon self, leave all else behind and come at the Lord’s bidding no matter the cost! Hallelujah! Will you go to where the Lord bids you to go, even if it means leaving your place of protection and comfort?  Peter didn’t know if he would live or not, he only knew that he didn’t want to live without Jesus! Glory! There is no greater bidding, no greater motivator than this; to be with Jesus at any cost! In HIS presence storms cease and one finds himself at the shores of his destination, safely harbored in the arms of Jesus in HIS strength and might.

Maybe you have a boat that you need to get out of because Jesus is bidding you to come to HIM even though no one else follows. It may mean changing jobs, leaving a bad relationship, embracing God’s calling on your life, and entrusting a wayward child or spouse into the hands of God. Maybe you find yourself in the boat of bitterness or despair and you need to embrace the Lord’s bidding for you to forgive someone who has hurt you. Whatever boat you’re in, if Jesus isn’t in it, then you need to rise up and

“GET OUT OF THAT BOAT.” My Christian friend, one thing I have learned so far in my walk with the Lord is IF we will just GO to where HE is, we will NEVER want for anything else. In our text, we see something so simple and yet so profound. Why did Peter get out of that boat??? He just simply wanted to GET TO JESUS!!! Today, will you do whatever HE is asking you to do? Will you do anything to GET TO JESUS???

Bro. Lawrence Longworth

Isaiah 61:1 “the opening of the prison to them that are bound;”

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