Being a disciple

‘But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”’ Matthew 14.30
 
Peter has come out quite badly as this story has been retold.  We read how he took his eyes off Jesus and note the catastrophic outcome, whereas in reality he was the only disciple who had the courage to get out of the boat.  He was certainly the only one of them who could actually say that he knew what it was like to walk on water!
 
Having said this, there is a lesson here about perseverance.  Our Christian lives do not simply revolve around our commitments, the promises we make, or our many activities.    Our life with Jesus is also about what we do when the going gets tough.
There can be a wave of euphoria when we first begin a task or respond to a calling, but it is when the euphoria ends and the hard work of commitment kicks in that we can be tempted to take our eyes off the one who called us, and instead look at the problems and the hassles.
 
It is often rightly said that Jesus wants disciples, not just converts.  This requires commitment to a vision and single-mindedness on our part, but by keeping our eyes fixed on him, we can do it!
 
Whatever you are going through in your life - hold the difficult moments before Jesus, and over each of them whisper the words 'Jesus is Lord'.

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