3. Listen. Moses listened to what God had to say. He didn’t just dump his emotions and concerns. He let God paint a picture of the future as God saw it. He let God give him new tools. And he let God infuse him with the emotional and spiritual energy he needed to accomplish the task.
The other part of Scripture we need to look at to understand how to fight for intimacy with God is Matthew 14.
Is That a Ghost?
The disciples, hunkered down in a boat, pushing with all their might to stay upright in yet another wave. This storm was not friendly, and each wave brought new anxiety and danger. Then, as fatigue threatened of stop their efforts, they started seeing things.
Someone toward the back of the boat caught a glimpse of something out on the water that didn’t move like the waves. He paused in his rowing to wipe his eyes and look again. The figure was still there. Adrenaline flooded his body as fear, now caused by this strange aberration, took over. “Look!” he cried.
The disciples paused in their rowing, ignoring the storm for a moment. A ghost? Walking on the water? That can’t be good. The end must be near.
You know how your thoughts work far faster than your response? Before they could do more than cry out, Jesus spoke: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
The disciples were in conflict. Everything they’d ever learned told them they were in an impossible situation, and a ghost walking on the water could only mean their doom. They had a choice. Peter chose to ignore everything his occupation had taught him and try faith instead: “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.”
You know the rest of the story. Peter’s lesson was only the beginning, and within a few minutes he learned that no matter how big the waves of life get, the key to survival is to keep your eyes on Jesus.
What can we learn about intimacy with God from this event?
1. Realize that sometimes the thing that scares you most is really God at work. The disciples, busy surviving, used the skills they had as fishermen to keep the boat upright. Jesus didn’t show up as a calming presence, making everything peaceful. His appearance scared them and made their stress much higher.
2. Know God’s voice. The disciples recognized Jesus by His voice. When He spoke, Peter was infused with faith. When you are in calm season, take the time to get to know God. Spend time listening to Him as He speaks to your heart and teaches you.
3. Focus on relationship. When kids fight (and most adults, truth be told), they fight to be acknowledged as right. They fight to make the other person capitulate. They fight for honor. When you fight with God, focus on relationship. What if Peter said, “Jesus, that can’t be You. You’d never let us struggle.” Instead, Peter asked, “If that is You, tell me to come to You on the water.” What a different response!
