Thin Ice

Ok, so we can't walk on water but perhaps we can do the closest thing to that and walk on thin ice! 

That about sums up how many Christians live their faith in Christ, by walking on thin ice.  There are only two individuals that have been observed and recorded for walking on water: Christ Jesus, and for a step or two, the Apostle Peter.  Here is the context of that event:

Mat 14:24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.
Mat 14:25 About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came to them, walking on the water.
Mat 14:26 When the disciples saw him, they screamed in terror, thinking he was a ghost.
Mat 14:27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. "It's all right," he said. "I am here! Don't be afraid."
Mat 14:28 Then Peter called to him, "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you by walking on water."
Mat 14:29 "All right, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.
Mat 14:30 But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted.
Mat 14:31 Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him. "You don't have much faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?"
Mat 14:32 And when they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.
Mat 14:33 Then the disciples worshiped him. "You really are the Son of God!" they exclaimed.

Peter's short lived trust in Christ truly represents, in my opinion, how we also respond to Jesus' outstretched arms asking us to fear not and trust in Him to save us.  Our faith is strong as long as we are focused on Jesus but we are so very easily distraced by strong winds and heavy waves.

Much too often we rationalize that because we are not Jesus we cannot live a life emulating Him, but perhaps we can still approach His salvation by our works.  That is, although we can't walk on water we can do the closest thing to that and walk on thin ice!  Our rationalization is that ice is water and thin ice, versus solid thick ice, presents risks and options that we, not God, decide to follow to prove how much we are in control.  In other words, we can't walk on water but by walking on thin ice we can prove that we are following Jesus.

Thin ice represents the weaknesses of our faith.  When confronted with having to traverse across a span of thin ice, we judge the elements, the risks, the water's depth, the distance, our weight, a pace that would prevent us from putting too much weight in one place for any amount of time, and most of all we decide if the risks are worth the reward of reaching our destination.  Our destination is eternal salvation; the thin ice represents works (what we wrongly believe we must do to earn God's love); the risk is misjudging our works (sin), falling through the ice, drowning, thereby never reaching our destination.

What we need to do is to listen to what Jesus said to Peter. "It's all right" He said. "I am here! Don't be afraid."

Then, in faith, we should step onto the ice and walk to Jesus.  If we keep our focus on Him as we walk to our destination then the elements will fade away; the risks will not be a factor; the water will never be too deep or too cold; our pace will be in step with His; and He will carry our weight no matter how long it takes for us to realize that we have already reached our destination for our salvation is in Jesus and He is in us! 

Because, as the disciples finally exclaimed, Jesus really is the Son of God - REALLY!


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