On Rounds with Jesus

Tag: spiritual growth

  • Staying afloat

    Staying afloat

    Scripture reading: Matthew 14:22-33

    Ever wonder why some things float in water and others sink? It all comes down to Archimedes’ principle. If an object can displace enough water to match its weight, it floats. That’s how boats stay afloat on water. However, if something is heavier and denser than water, such as a rock, it sinks. Gravity pulls it down harder than the water can push it up.

    Now think about this: humans are too heavy and dense to float on water, especially without help. So when Jesus came walking on the sea, His disciples were terrified. They thought they were seeing a ghost! But Jesus said, “Take heart; it is I. Don’t be afraid.”

    Science helps us to understand how the world works. But Jesus showed that He isn’t limited by the laws of nature. He made those laws, and He can step over them whenever He wants. With God, nothing is impossible.

    But here’s the key: you need to believe.

    Science works whether you believe it or not. But faith? Faith is different. Faith opens the door to the impossible, not because of who we are, but because of who we believe in.

    Peter got a taste of that. When he saw Jesus walking on water, he said, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come.” Jesus said, “Come.” And Peter actually walked on water! That is, until he took his eyes off Jesus. Peter noticed the boisterous wind and the waves and got scared. Fear crept in. He looked away from Jesus and started to sink. That’s what fear does. Fear, like gravity, pulls you down. Faith keeps you up. When life gets stormy, don’t let fear take over. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Trust His voice more than the noise around you. Peter didn’t sink because the storm got worse. He sank because his faith wavered.

    Peter may have started sinking, but the moment he cried out, Jesus grabbed him. He didn’t let him drown. And He won’t let you drown either.

    Life can feel like a storm sometimes. But if you keep your focus on Jesus, faith will keep you afloat no matter how bad it gets.

    Let us pray

    Lord Jesus, thank You for showing me that You are not limited by the laws of nature. You walk upon what should drown me. You calm what seeks to overwhelm me.


    When fear grips my heart and the storms around me roar, help me to keep my eyes fixed on You. Teach me to trust in Your word more than the waves. Strengthen my faith so I may walk boldly where You call me, even when it seems impossible.

    Help me to stay afloat in faith, not by my strength, but by holding on to You. Let fear lose its grip, and let Your perfect love carry me through every high and low.


    In Your mighty name I pray, Amen.

    Reflections

    1. What situation in my life feels too big, and how might Jesus be inviting me to trust Him through it?
    2. Where have I shifted my focus from Jesus to the storm around me?
    3. Am I letting fear sink me, or is faith keeping me up today?
    4. What limits have I accepted that God is calling me to rise above in faith?
  • The catch

    The catch

    Scripture reading: Luke 5:1-11, NKJV

    “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing…” — Luke 5:5

    I often encounter clients who come to the clinic after exhausting every possible remedy. Like the fishermen in today’s passage, they’ve toiled long and hard yet caught nothing. The lesson here is profound: it’s not just the effort or persistence that brings results, but seeking help from the right source, and toiling under the right direction.

    Consider what happened with Peter: First, he offered his boat to Jesus (Luke 5:1–3). Next, he obeyed Jesus’ instruction to launch into the deep (Luke 5:4). Despite his expertise as a fisherman, he recognised that Jesus’ word held more authority than experience. And what followed? A net-breaking, astonishing catch.

    Here’s the real catch: You need Jesus to attain that breakthrough you’ve been yearning for.

    •  Yield your vessel — your skills, your time, your life — for the Master’s use. That vessel is the platform for your productivity.
    • Hand Him the reins. Let Him take control.
    • Obey His instruction. That comes from listening — through His Word, through prayer, and through prompt obedience to His Spirit’s leading.

    Peter started with nothing. But after one encounter with Jesus, he stepped into a calling that would change history. In your own season of frustration or fruitless labour, remember this: God has a plan for you — a destiny-defining purpose for your life. And it all begins when you surrender your boat to Him.

    Let Us Pray

    Lord Jesus,
    Like Peter, I have toiled and laboured with little to show for it. I’ve tried in my own strength, followed my own wisdom, and ended up empty. Today, I surrender it all to you.

    Help me to listen. Guide me, and give me the grace to obey, even when Your instructions challenge my logic. Teach me to trust Your word more than my experience, and to follow You into the deep, where the real catch awaits.

    I know that with You, every frustration can become fruitfulness, and every emptiness can be filled. Use my life for Your glory and lead me into the purpose You have prepared for me.

    In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

    Reflection

    1. What area of your life feels like a night of fruitless toil right now? Have you invited Jesus into that situation?
    2. What does your “boat” represent — your skills, career, time, or resources? Are you truly yielding it for the Master’s use?
    3. How do you typically respond when God’s instructions challenge your experience or logic?
    4. Are you making space to listen to God — through prayer, Scripture, and quiet obedience?
    5. What might change in your life if you gave Jesus full control, trusted His direction, and launched out at His word?