Tuesday, July 19, 2011

A Birthday Card from God

Sunday was my 45th birthday.  I celebrated it in good health, and with Paul and our three boys along -- all things which I have learned to never again take for granted.  My health is obviously something that isn't to be taken for granted.  And, as the boys get older I anticipate they may not always be close by for family celebrations.

My birthday was on a sweltering hot day.  Paul and I spent the better part of it with Liam's all-star little league team -- they won their afternoon game, and the team had an impromptu pool party afterward.  That same evening, our family went to Genghi's Steakhouse for dinner, and despite the groans of my guys, we had the this picture taken.

At dinner I tried to share something special about my day.  My guys were skeptical and wrote it off as "concidence," but I am not deterred.  I think of it as my "birthday card from God."

Let me explain...

More than once, I have likened my cancer walk to Peter's journey in Matthew 14:29-30.  As Peter kept his eyes on Christ, he was able to literally walk on water.  Through Peter's faith and obedience, the LORD worked a miracle in his life.

By the same token, when Peter took his eyes off Christ and turned his attention to the the circumstances in his life (i.e. the wind), he became fearful and started to sink. In that moment, the LORD was immediately faithful.  Scripture tells us that Jesus "immediately reached out his hand and caught him (Peter)."

I realize from this story that God is not offended or limited by our fear.  He wants each of us to walk on our own lake of water.  And we can do this, secure in the knowledge that He stays close by and ready to reach out His hand if we falter.

But I digress.... the point of this story has been my "birthday card from God."

This summer  I've used the Reading Plan from my Life Application Study Bible to guide my morning quiet time.   The reading plan lists a different scripture each day, and right now the stories are switching back and forth between the four gospels.   They're all familiar stories, but I never know which one I'll read until I actually sit down in the morning for my QT.

On the morning of my birthday, before we left the house for church, I read Matthew 14:13-36.  This passage contains three separate stories, and it took me a few minutes to realize that the middle story was the one of Jesus Walking on the Water.

In that moment, I recalled -- for the first time in many months -- how signficant this passage has been in my life. Indeed, it was so important to me that it became part of this url/title of my blog.

And in that moment, I felt that God was saying, "I'm right here.  I've got the wind. You just keep your eyes on Me."

It is a message I really needed.  I treasure that quiet time as one of the coolest birthday cards I've ever received...