A WORD FOR TODAY, June 20, 2024
Peggy Hoppes
We pray you have been blessed by this daily devotion. If you received it from a friend, you can see other devotions and studies by visiting our website at www.awordfortoday.org.
Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, June 20, 2024
“In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, ‘It’s a ghost!’ and they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.’ Peter answered him and said, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters.’ He said, ‘Come!’ Peter stepped down from the boat and walked on the waters to come to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got up into the boat, the wind ceased. Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, ‘You are truly the Son of God!’” Matthew 14:25-33, WEB
My son and I were walking together one day when he realized that we were walking in step. The moment he called it to my attention, we went out of stride. He tried desperately to get back into the rhythm, but the more he tried, the harder it was for him. He gave up, until a few moments later he realized we were doing it again. Then, as soon as he tried to keep it going, we lost it. This happened repeatedly throughout the walk, as my son tried hard to keep to my rhythm, but the more he tried, the harder it was to do.
I was involved with the marching band in my school days. We practiced for hours so that our marching would be synchronized. No matter how well we worked together, there were always incidents of people getting out of step. It is comical to watch a band member try to get back into the rhythm during a parade. The harder they try, the more they fail. We learned with all that practice that keeping in step was natural when we focused on the music and routine rather than our feet.
It was natural for us to walk in step when my son and I were just walking along and chatting about things. He didn’t realize that it was when he turned his attention away from our conversation to his feet that it became difficult to keep it going. He tried too hard to do something that was natural with no work at all. We do the same in our walk with the Lord. All too often we are so busy thinking about the work we think we have to do that we forget to focus on our relationship with God. The more we think about the work, the harder it is to stay in step with God’s will and purpose for our lives.
The good fruit that we produce in our walk with God is a natural response to our relationship with Him. It doesn’t take a lot of thought or work. We must simply trust Him and walk with Him, and by the power of His Holy Spirit, we’ll be able to even walk on the water. However, we spend so much of our time trying to keep in step with Jesus, that we lose the rhythm and miss out on the joy of being in His presence. Today, just walk with Him and do not doubt. He will accomplish a great work through that trust.
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276. Like the page to receive the devotion through Facebook. For information and to access our archives, visit http://www.awordfortoday.org