For want of a nail a shoe was lost
For want of a shoe a horse was lost
For want of a horse a battle was lost
For want of a battle the war was lost – (Author unknown)
So often the smallest things result in the loss of the greatest works of God – lives destroyed, ministries wrecked, local churches closed. As Christians, when doing the work Jesus calls us to, our risks are limited to just one. Will we glance away from Jesus while doing what He commanded?
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.” (Matthew 14:28-33 ESV)
Commitment and Growth
Jesus didn’t reject Peter after he looked at the wind, He rescued him. God understands us. God knows that we are going to make mistakes, miss His mark, mangle His message. What God looks for, and requires in you and me, is commitment and growth.
“Genuine faith acknowledges and depends upon Jesus as Lord and shows itself in growing obedience to the divine commands.”
R.C. Sproul
God knows that when we start our walk with Him we will still be distracted by worldly “winds.” Because God knows us, He allows us to experience failure and the Holy Spirit’s conviction when we glance away from Jesus. Often, that’s how we learn. But we must remain committed and obedient to Jesus and we must grow in our faith in God.
How Many Nails
How many nails must we miss before we learn? There are only three that we need to keep our eyes on.
Photo by Blair Fraser on Unsplash
You may like:
https://www.rockexcavationservice.org/avoid-fault-faith/