Walk on Water

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.

In Peter Pan, it was easy for the Lost Boys to fly.  It was even easy for the baby Peter..  But if you've ever watched Hook, you'd have seen how difficult it was for the adult Peter to find the faith to fly.  In the Chronicles of Narnia, beyond a certain age, you're forbidden to come back to Narnia.  Or maybe it was more that they could no longer find their way back to Narnia.  In fact, the entire kingdom of Narnia was ruled by..children. 

I read just today that the king of Uganda turned 18 and for the first time, he can make decisions for his kingdom without consulting his advisers.  He became king at age 3, and my first reaction as I read this article was "how ridiculous."  But maybe I'm wrong - perhaps it takes a child's eyes and a child's dreams to realize the greatest aspirations into actuality.

When I was younger, I believed I could change the world.  Somehow, someway, God would open the doors for me to become a mover and shaker of this world, even if just one neighborhood at a time.  With time I threw that idea away as I realized I couldn't even change myself.  When I was younger, I lived carefree.  My life was secure in Christ, what could be more important?  Yet, doesn't the world scream at me today that there are a million and one things more important? 

 You still don't have a girlfriend?  Are you sure you're trying hard enough in school?  Don't disappoint your family Eugene.  Shouldn't you be studying?  Do you really go around dressing like that?  Why don't you try and make more friends?  Are you going to end up in Korea one day?  What kind of doctor will you be?  Why can't you commit to your church?  What happened to wanting to form a prayer group at school - became too busy?  Eugene..are you worthy?

Quiet.  quiet.  You are my freedom, Jesus you're the reason I'm kneeling at Your throne.  Where would I be without you here in my life?  You're my freedom.

I'm getting older - that will not change.  But doesn't His Word say:  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  And if with age, we are wasting away, can't I also inversely consider this to mean that inside, I am getting YOUNGER with renewal?  That inwardly, I am becoming more like a child?  And isn't my goal to:

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved CHILDREN.  And forever, I have to picture that powerful image of a child who follows his father adoringly around, mimicking every action in hopes that he would be more and more like his dad with each motion.  And so, with great excitement and with great gusto, we adore and imitate our Father in heaven.

And God's Word says that our inward child-ification is a consequence of FAITH - the same mighty faith through which we resound "I believed; therefore I have spoken."

So by faith then, I will walk on water; I might dare to even RUN as an eager child.

I have never walked on water, felt the waves beneath my feet,

but at your Word Lord, I'll receive Your Faith to walk on oceans deep.

And I remember how you found me:

In that very same place, all my failing surely would have DROWNED me

but YOU made a way.

Easter 2010

Easter Day Fast 2010


Dear Father, I'm hungry.  It has been a while, a long while since I have fasted, even such a short fast as this.  I've become so used to the habit of immediately satisfying my appetite that I have long forgotten true and sustained hunger, again, even hunger such as this.

How terrible is the noncommittal life; how tragic is the apathetic or lazy existence?  I am reminded now of what you have said in Revelations:

"so because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

By your MERCY alone, you have not spat me from your mouth.

When I'm hungry, I CANNOT concentrate on anything else.  When I am hungry, the mere thought of food gets me salivating, and the anticipation of forthcoming food is near UNBEARABLE.  The scent of eminent satiation strikes all other thoughts from my mind.  When I am hungry, truly starving, my idol and foremost priority is food.  I long for it - I feel as though I may perish without it.

Father, I hunger for you.  Though at times, recently, my hunger for you has been like a quiet buzzing, I pray you fan it to be a savage lion, with a longing for you so fierce that I may declare as David once did that to spend just ONE day in your courts would be better than a THOUSAND elsewhere, that I may declare my very SOUL thirsts for you Lord.  And all the while that I hunger for you, Father I know that "my soul will be satisfied as with the RICHEST of fare."  And truly Lord, You are sweeter than the sweetest honey, more filling than the juiciest steak, more permanent and sustaining than anything I could partake of in this life.

Creator of the universe, Father of all nations, grant me a heart after yours - a heart that longs for the things YOU long for.  My wants, my desires, my iniquities, my anxieties - what are they when You satisfy my soul?

Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding, and in ALL your ways acknowledge Him, and He WILL make your paths straight.

Delight yourself in the Lord and He WILL give you the desires of your heart.

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. - Romans 8:5

Thank you for the cross.  Thank you for the resurrection.  Thank you for all the hope I have.  You are faithful.

Amen.