All Things Lovely

Finish

Revelation 3:15—

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.”

A couple of years ago, I read the story of Peter walking on water in Matthew 14:22-36, and I wondered why Jesus rebuked Peter. At least he got out of the boat! None of the other disciples even tried, but Peter got rebuked.

I had always been taught that we should at least try; finishing dead last beats those who never finish, which beats those that never start, right?

So, I asked several people, but the answer that helped me came from my pastor's wife. She said "If you're going to do it, do it in Jesus' strength." The first part of the sentence hit me between the eyes.

"IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT"

My mind immediately jumped to Revelation 3:15, quoted above. God would rather have cold Christians than lukewarm Christians!! When Peter got out of the boat, he was "hot," but when he took his eyes off Jesus and sank, he had become lukewarm. He wasn't cold, because he hadn't gone back to the boat, but he was no longer moving forward for God.

Of course, I could be completely off my rocker with my theory on why Peter got rebuked, but the Holy Spirit did give me a good thought from it: Don't start, unless you finish! Think about it. Who gives Christianity a bad name? Those who started strong but dropped out along the way. In order to finish the race, we must do so with Jesus's strength, but when we quit depending on God, we drop out.

My thought for today is simple: 

If you are not willing to do what it takes to finish the race, don't even start!!