19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. 1 Kings 19: 91, 11-13a
   
2. Psalms 85: 9, 10, 11-12, 13-14
   
3. Romans 9: 1-5
   
4. Matthew 14: 22-33
   

• If you're going to fail, at least be epic about it
  
• Elijah had hoped to expose Baal as a false god, and his prophets as deceivers.  Instead, all that he did was arouse the ire of Israel's queen who put him at the top of the most wanted list.
• When have you been discouraged in your walk with the Lord?
• What was the challenge to you at that time?
• What made you lose hope?
• Where did you find hope eventually?
  

• Salvation in the moment
  
• Salvation from our sins is certainly a central truth of our relationship to God.  But sometimes it's too easy to miss the present promise of that salvation.
  
• What are some things that you've been saved from in your walk with God?
  
• How did that salvation come to you?
  
• What did you have to do to receive that?
• What of that particular salvation do you think that you could possible share with others?
• Do you think that others would appreciate that gift from you?
• Why does that matter?
  

• God's fingerprint
  
• God is faithful.  God's faithfulness is for the long haul, eternity in fact.  Even when we are not actively following God, he is there, present, giving, waiting, healing, and speaking to us.
• What are some of your earliest memories?
• Do you think that God was there with you in that time?
• In prayer, get in touch with that divine Presence at that moment in your life.  We are children of eternity, in meditation we can touch those moments.
• Do you find any comfort, solace in that Presence?
• If you could talk to God during that experience in your life, what would you say?
• What's stopping you?
  

• Focus
  
• I've loved this story of Peter walking on the water to meet Jesus for as long as I can remember.  No one but Peter would challenge Jesus that way, no one but Peter would jump from the relative safety of the boat so impulsively.
• What are some doubts that you have had in times past?
• What caused that doubt?  Was it bad past experiences, something that you read, your own fears?
• How did you find the faith to carry on?
• How did God save you?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
  

1. Where is God offering me hope that I am to afraid to accept?
2. How can I live God's salvation more deeply today?
3. How has God's faithfulness made me who I am today?
   
4. Where is God calling to me to walk on the water with Him?

 Come, Walk With Me

There is nothing like looking death in the face with others
To bind you to them, and them to you.
Each of you baring your soul, each of you totally honest.

In my prayer, I put myself into the boat with Peter.
I hear the shrieking, maniacal wind's tortured lament.
I hear the timbers of our little boat groaning under the strain.

I know that we are near done.  There are no options.
And an odd calm comes over me as I resign all hope of survival.
My eyes rest lovingly on the friends that I have known so well.

Suddenly, off in the distance, where he has no business being,
Walks a man towards us, through the thunderous chaos.
He claims to be Jesus, but there's no way to tell.

And suddenly, my calm yields to longing, to be by His side.
Jesus, who has made my life make sense again.
Jesus, who has taught me that I am loved for all my impetuous words and deeds.

Even if my last breath is the one I take by His side,
It's better than cowering in this boat.
It's better than the comfort of a sinking ship

I vault over the side, scarcely touching the heaving gunwales  of our craft.
Love for Him sends me running across the crashing waves.
And for a moment, I forget myself in Him.  I find myself by being lost.

Suddenly, I see that there might be a tomorrow for me after all.
And with that, my brimming love gives way to fear.
As I wonder what it is that I'm really doing here on the water.

I come to this shore at dawn when I get the chance.
Smell the water, hear the birds, watch the fishermen.
And remember the feel of those strong arms bearing me out of the water.

And resolve to walk with Jesus a little more today.
Let my love for Him propel me through my fears to His side.
Just one more step on the trackless water.

Just one more step.

Shalom!