The Bible lesson for second graders today focused on personal experience with Jesus… vs… just knowing about Him from what we read and hear…
We considered how people in the Bible experienced His love…
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Matthew 14:28-33 ESV
After reading the account of Jesus walking on water… and Peter’s experience in walking with Him… I asked… What is the lesson here…?
One pipes up… Don’t lose faith…!
I said… Is that the lesson…? in this experience…?
That’s what I hear…
And I had an opportunity to correct… as I saw the flaw in the answer…
If our experience with Jesus only spoke… Don’t lose faith…! we would be at a loss for what to do when our faith does fail…
We are called to grow in faith… but we are broken… flawed… people… and our faith… will… fail…
The lesson… what Peter experienced with Jesus… is when our faith fails… when we find ourselves sinking in doubt… it’s time to cry out… Jesus…! Save me…!
In that moment… we will experience His love… His compassion… His deliverance… as He reaches out and pulls us up out of our doubt…
He will ask… Why did you doubt…? but first He will save…!
And the next time… we’ll find our faith stronger… because we experienced His faithfulness… in the face of our unfaithfulness…
What a great… great… God…
When we step out in faith… follow Him with trusting obedience… we will discover… experience… taste… His goodness…
Even if our trust doesn’t take us very far away from the boat…
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Psalm 34:8 ESV
Jeremiah's Menu 