In our Gospel today, the 14th chapter of Matthew, we are reminded of the story of Jesus reaching out to save Peter as he was sinking, asking “Why did you doubt?”
As Jesus reached out to his disciple Peter, he sends us out to pick people out of the water. He is always challenging us to leave our comfort zones, to set sail in unfamiliar territory, to go to places we may not want to go, so that we may reach out to those traveling in stormy waters.
Today’s take-away revolves around this statistical insight: our odds of sinking diminish if we just stay in the boat! If we remain in the community of the faithful, rely on one another and worship together we are strengthened in our common mission…to withstand the winds and the waves to reach out to all God’s children. And if we fail and find ourselves sinking, as Pastor Beth reminds us, we have a God who reaches out and picks us out of the water, “over and over and over, no matter what!”
To listen to the Gospel and Pastor Beth’s true life example of her seminary church picking people out of the water, click on the link below.