Comments on: Saturday 5/4/19 Where will Christ take you?

By: Dr

Dr — Sat, 04 May 2019 23:52:48 +0000

Thank you, Julie. I have quietly enjoyed reading from you and other Spirit-filled contributors since the Lenten period when I found this website. This is my first comment and I wanted to share the fact that Peter was a fisherman. Fishermen can swim. He took only a few steps from the boat but he ‘could not’ swim back. He actually began to drown.
Fear paralyses. No matter how clever, accomplished, qualified, talented etc we may be, fear can make you forget all of that very quickly. We need to keep our eyes trained on Jesus at all times lest we (continue to) drown.
I recall that after the resurrection Jesus appeared on the shore. His disciples had been fishing all night and caught nothing. Jesus asked them to cast their net to the right of the boat and they caught so many fish that they were unable to haul their net in. The interesting thing is, Peter, when he was told by John that it was Jesus, jumped into the water. They were 100 yards (over 90 metres) away from the shore. That far in but Peter didn’t drown then. In fact, as John 21 tells it, the other disciples came in with the boat. Peter must have swam back to shore – without drowning.
We cannot avoid the storms in our lives so I completely agree with your last paragraph. Faith in Christ is the only sure way to navigate those storms. It is the only sure way to walk on our own bodies of water wherever and however they present themselves – without drowning. Thanks again.

By: Julie

Julie — Sat, 04 May 2019 17:10:01 +0000

Chris, I assure you, that phrase was not put in there on accident. May the 4th be with you!

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 04 May 2019 15:24:42 +0000

Julie, I read your reflection a few times, with amusement, and even though I am a baby boomer and Love Love Love the Beatles, I would have to listen, again, to those recordings you mentioned to see the significance. Yes, the rendition of Jesus walking on water is different in each Gospel, but the key in each of them is Jesus’ words. Don’t be afraid, Be not afraid, it is I.

Storms are scary, even scarier in the dark of night, and even more so if you are in a boat in the middle of the sea!

I love the sound of thunder, the flash of lightening, the downpour of rain when I am safely in my apartment and can watch the dance of the elements.

Storms are a natural part of life, most of us would prefer not to be in the middle of them, figuratively speaking. All of us have had them at different times in our lives. I have written about my personal storm a few times, and I have had to remind myself not to be afraid. I read a quote attributed to Paul Coelho that says: “not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.” I would rephrase that with ‘all storms are meant to disrupt your life, to clear your path’, just like the natural disasters clear the forest and in time we see new growth. The Apostles were strengthened by each storm that buffeted them, because they were no longer afraid. Their paths kept clearing each step of The Way.

Your last paragraph reminds me of the Beatles song “Let it be” attributed to Mary. “when we find ourselves in times of trouble,” but we could substitute “Jesus comes to me …” in times of trouble. As long as we trust him, without fear of the outcome…He’ll clear a path for us.

May the 4th be with you!
God bless

By: Chris Curley

Chris Curley — Sat, 04 May 2019 06:49:49 +0000

Spot on, Julie! Love your analogies, they work for me. And knowing the feel, so to speak, of each Evangelist , helps in the study and prayer of each. This Easter I realized, in a different way than before, that Jesus is a way between earth and heaven, a door that is never shut. When He rose from the dead, He wasn’t merely a body coming back to life in this world, He was, is a huge breach in the wall dividing earth and heaven, a breach that began at His birth, and chipped away at with every one of His “super power” acts. Love all you guys. God bless.