At Least Take the First Step

In my “No Fear” post yesterday, I shared how proud I was of my granddaughter when we were at Six Flags Over Texas. Against her initial concerns about the wild rides that were there, she conquered her fears and in fact, exceeded our greatest expectations for her. After the first ride (her first step), she became an ambitious and relentless rider and wanted to keep riding more – long after Staci and I were ready to call it a day.
While that “no fear” story described overcoming fears about amusement park rides, I know that nowhere compares to certain fears that may be looming before you today. I know it sounds easy to say “Have no fear!” until we are facing some situations that have created fears of gigantic proportion.

In June this year, I had the time of my life and dream-come-true experience when I was riding in a boat on the Sea of Galilee and walking all over the region where Christ performed so many miracles – among which was the story of those seasoned fishermen (aka disciples) who knew the sea and everything there was to know about fishing. They had seen, survived and lived through many storms. But for all their experience and nautical knowledge, they needed to experience what it was to BELIEVE audaciously in Christ who was daily demonstrating to them on how to live with NO FEAR.

The story went like this in Matthew 14:22-33: Jesus was on the shore praying while the greatest storm of the disciples’ lives was upon them in the Sea of Galilee. They were scared out of their wits and at the end of their ropes when there came Jesus walking on the water to them. He called out to them “Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid.” We know that Peter, as shifty in his faith as he was at times, had the courage to at least take a FIRST STEP. He didn’t have to get out of that boat to walk to Jesus. But he did. He took a chance. That was courage – holy audacity. He got out of the boat. I admire that courage and I sure can’t fault him for noticing the winds and waves even though Jesus was right in front of him. How many times have I shook from the winds and waves in my own life instead of staying constant in my laser focus on Jesus, the Peace Giver?

We know about first steps. It’s bold for a woman who is being abused to take the first step to get help. It’s bold for a man to quit his job or attend school for a better job. It’s bold for students to take the first step and stand in front of a room and give a speech. It’s bold for someone who has never traveled in an airplane, to take a flight. It’s bold for a couple to buy their first home.

Dear, try-to-do-good Peter has received so much critcism thrown at him for his failures, but you’ve got to hand it to him – he got out of the boat. He took the first step. We all need to get out of the safety of our boats. I’m not saying we should take wild chances or throw caution to the wind, but I am saying “If we hear the Master calling us to take a chance or change something in our life, then we need to get out of the boat." And when we get out of the boat, and stay focused on the Master, He will see us through to the other side. Peter met the storm head on, fought the waves and the winds and felt the awesome experience of touching the very hand of Christ – because Peter was the only one willing to get out of the boat and go toward Jesus. Peter had the courage to take that FIRST STEP out of the boat.

There are storms in every life and sometimes they feel like they’re drowning us, but in every storm, Christ is waiting with outstretched arms, to save us. If we really want water-walking faith, then it's time to get out of our boats of comfort and ease and take that FIRST STEP!

Take the First Step

Martin Luther King said, "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

I know what was at the top of those two stairs in the photo. The first set was in my home in Sapulpa, OK that I moved from four years ago. Going UP those stairs, you'd find two more bedrooms, an office, a bathroom and a game room. But it didn't end there. There was a pull-down ladder that took you to a massive floored attic with plenty of storage space. It was great to have until my Sweetheart passed away, and when I went up there to see what he'd been storing up there, I gasped and hollered "Ronald Wuerch, what were you thinking -- leaving me with all this stuff to deal with?" LOL! Going back downstairs, you'd find the master bedroom, two baths, a dining room, great room and office. Going outside, there was a small lake at the back of the property that my kids and grandkids loved to hang out at and catch lots of fish.

The second set of steps in this photo take you FROM a crystal-clear, flowing creek, filled with an abundance of fish and waterfalls which all are a play area for my grandsons in Austin. Going UP those steps you'd find a beautiful pool, tennis court, barn, and house -- all of which my kids have made home.

Both of those sets of stairs started with taking STEPS of faith. My husband and I didn't know that would be the last home we would live in together, but having faith in God and His perfect plans and timing for our lives, we purchased that home -- that, by the way, needed a lot of renovations. It was long and hard work, but it was so worth it for the memories we made there, the precious family times, the Bible Studies and people's lives that were transformed there.

The steps on the 2nd photo represent the faith that my kids, Ryan and Shawntel, had in making a huge move from Seattle, the city, friends, church and the major league baseball and football teams they loved so much, to move all the way to Austin, TX. Sure they had walked up and down those steps many times before they took a giant step of faith to move there. They didn't see how it would all pan out, but their faith in God, caused them to take the first step. And, they, too, are making beautiful memories, meeting lots of new friends, sharing their home with missionaries and others as they invite family and friends in to their warm, welcoming home filled with God's love and peace.

Will there always be blue skies, birds chirping, and fish jumping in our lives once we take those FIRST STEPS? No, there won't. There WILL be days that climbing those steps seem insurmountable. There will be times when refusing to climb altogether is the easiest thing to do. There will be moments when we may wonder "Was this STEP OF FAITH really faith in action or presumption in action?" Here's the good news. Faith is not a matter of seeing what God is doing. Rather, faith is a matter of seeing God. Or, to put it another way, I may not know where God is leading, but I can trust that it is sufficient that He knows.

We can say to the Lord, "I am not going to put my faith in what I THINK you are doing. Rather, I am going to put my faith in YOU -- and be willing to see the Truth about what you are doing."

We are told to do this in Proverbs 3,5. "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Lean not upon your own understanding." It isn't that God won't bring understanding. But it is, by faith that we TRUST.

Faith is never a mistake because faith is trust in the One who never makes a mistake. God will not fail to get us to where He desires if we continue to believe and trust Him. So, let's go ahead and take that first step. It's NO STEP for a STEPPER!