This week of September 14th, I celebrate my 40th birthday. I consider this a major milestone year, especially in lieu of the Covid-19 pandemic that has swept across much of our nation. God has truly had His hand of mercy on my life and has granted me a peace that passes all understanding. As we approach the year of 2021, I'm about to embark upon another milestone: the 25th anniversary of Families Forever Ministries. In December of 1996, my family and I met at a local recreation center to host our first official church service. This service marked as our public declaration to serve and lift up the name of Jesus in our community and surrounding areas.
As I reflect on this milestone year of 2020, I'm reminded of one of the most renowned examples of faith found in the 14th chapter of Matthew. The disciples had just finished ministering to a crowd of over 5,000 and were then instructed to get into a boat and travel as Jesus spent time alone in prayer. True to form, the weather became turbulent and disrupted what should have been a routine journey. Suddenly, Jesus is walking on the water towards the disciples: they are initially paralyzed by the fear that He is a ghost. Peter, who is often remembered as one of the most brazen disciples, musters enough courage to step out of the safety of the boat and approach Jesus.
In the same manner as the disciples, many of us launched into the depths of 2020 as a routine journey. Without warning, the turbulence of unforeseen events has disrupted our plans and has forced us to redirect our attention. Jesus Christ is always willing to provide the support that we need, only in this season, it's going to require us to make the appropriate move. Like a parent instructing their child how to swim, it's a matter of time when the child will have to take that leap of faith from the ledge and swim out to Mom or Dad. We all enjoy the familiarity of our routines, but we are currently in a season when the safety of our routines has been compromised. Jesus Christ has made a requirement for us to step out of the boat of safety and walk on the waters of tribulation.
When we launched our ministry on that cold December day in 1996, we had no idea who was going to show up or what the outcome of the service was going to be. We've held firm to the belief that as long as we remain obedient to make the steps of faith, Jesus Christ will always be within our midst to help us navigate through any situation.
Comments