The Sea of the Galilee

Before I went to Israel the most popular question I was asked was, “What are you most looking forward to seeing?” I had a specific answer to that question, but I also knew that experiencing the Holy Land for the first time was going to look and feel and sound different than I had imagined. I tried to lay my expectations aside, though we all know realistically how hard that is to do.

With that said, what was I most looking forward to, you ask? The Sea of Galilee. (Or ,The Sea of the Galilee, which is how our tour guide, Ron, referred to it and I found so endearing.)

Before flying across the ocean, one thing I knew about Israel was that often in places of significance in regards to Jesus, a church would have been built on that specific site. For example, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem was built where they think Jesus was born. While I don’t think this is wrong, I think it gives those Holy sites a different look and feel.

I also knew before I went that you can’t build a church on top of a lake. I mean, you could, but most likely you wouldn’t. And I knew they hadn't. When you read the Scriptures it is so evident that Jesus loved being on this specific lake and while I hadn’t experienced it for myself, I had a feeling I would love it too.  The miracles He performed on the Sea of Galilee alone are mind blowing to me. So in my mind, that was why I was most looking forward to this location of the footsteps of Jesus.

A week ago today I took my own boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. We were able to enter our boat from our hotel and we sailed for about an hour while hearing testimonies of God’s goodness and worshiping. It was calm and beautiful and quiet. In fact, we had so little down time on this trip that I feel like the actual boat ride was the first time my mind was able to wrap itself around all we had already seen and witnessed. It was so special.

Later that day, a friend was praying for me and had me quietly imagine Jesus standing on the shore while I was still in the boat. They told me to ask God what was keeping me from stepping out of the boat? (They were not implying I didn't trust God, but rather, what was keeping me from taking the next step.)

It didn’t take two seconds before I had two answers. Fear and lack of faith. Hello, just go ahead and call me Peter.

To make this long story even longer, this isn’t the first time God has used a boat to speak straight to my heart. A few years ago when I left Living Proof Ministries, my beloved boss gave me a boat. Not a literal boat I could go sailing on, but a small wooden boat. On it she wrote, “Step out of the boat.” In fact, you can read more about that little boat here.

Not a day has gone by that my eyes have not looked on that tiny boat. It’s been a small reminder to me that God is trustworthy, but that His trustworthiness requires our faith. The offer is there, we just have to believe Him. How do we know we can trust Him when we make everything around us so comfortable and easy to maintain without looking to Him? And at the end of the day, control is an illusion anyway. I won’t point any fingers, but I’m guilty of that. I’m guilty of only taking steps when there is a controlled outcome. Fear can get the best of me shrinking me back to what I know to be safe. But I think faith involves us setting aside our flawed and skewed human reasoning and not giving way to the feelings that resist faith.

Back to the Sea of Galilee. When the disciples were being sloshed back and forth by the waves on the sea and Jesus came walking towards them, Peter had a sudden shot of boldness and jumped out of the boat headed towards His Master, Jesus. (You can read the entire account in Matthew 14 as I’m very much summarizing.) His eyes were focused on the One who saves, but then they diverted away from Jesus and he started to sink. He lost focus.

I do the exact same thing. Without question. I lose focus on a daily basis. I get so easily distracted. The future starts to seep in slowly. Thoughts of a husband and children consume me. My job. My family. What clothes are in style that I don’t own but need? Does this person like me or not? Instagram. Twitter. This illness that seems to be taking this or that person away from their loved ones and quickly. Church. Complaining about all manner of non-important issues. You name it, I focus on it.

But the beautiful thing is that this is not the end of the story. Peter did not sink. He cried out, whether in fear or faith I don’t know, but it didn’t matter to Jesus. Jesus didn’t hesitate for one second to grab Peter by the hand and pull Him out of the choppy waters.

And I love the next part, Jesus asks Peter a question, “Then he said, “Faint-heart, what got into you?”

Sometimes we just need to confess what’s holding us back. Be it selfishness, pride, sin, fear, and so on and so forth. God has been reminding me time and time again this year that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” We don’t know how Peter answered the question, all we know is that they both, Jesus and Peter, got back into the boat together and the others that had just witnessed that miracle started worshiping Jesus and confessing out loud that He really was the Son of God.

It does not surprise me one bit that it was at the Sea of Galilee, after the resurrection, where Jesus reassured Peter that his prior denial of Jesus did not disqualify him from being a disciple. I needed to be reminded that my lack of faith didn't disqualify me, either.

My pride holds me back so often. "What will others think? How will others respond? Can I do this perfect? No? Then I won’t do it at all." And beneath all of that is an invitation from Jesus to trust Him. To feed and love His sheep. To step out of the boat. To keep our eyes focused on the One who sees and cares and knows and understands and loves.

Since I’ve returned from the Holy Land, similar to before I left, the question I’ve been asked the most is, “What was your favorite part?” I’m still processing that question and God is working in my mind and my heart. It’s hard to have a favorite because so many moments stand out. But today I’m so thankful for that still, small boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. While I thought I would love it because it had been untouched, turns out, I loved it because it's where God so gently asked again, "Do you trust me?"