Step Out of the Ship

Have you ever thought about where you're looking? Not physically, but spiritually? Lately I've been challenged to think about where my spiritual eyes have been - are they on myself, others, circumstances, probabilities, or are they on Christ? I can tell when I'm looking at myself, because I find no hope within me to do anything right. Why should I think any differently? Didn't Jesus say, "Without me ye can do nothing?" (Jn.15:5). Have you ever felt like the Romans 7:14-25 man, that when you would do good, evil is present with you, and how to perform that which is good you find not? Have you ever cried out, "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Look at what Paul's prescription for this malady is: "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom.7:25). All of our hope is in Jesus Christ. We are to rejoice in the Lord, not in ourselves (Phil.4:4); Christ is my life, living in me (Gal.2:20); I am to reckon myself dead to sin and alive to God through Him, not myself (Rom.6:12-13). When I take my eyes off of Christ, and put them on the storms of life around me, my feet begin to sink beneath the stormy waters. The only way I can walk on water is by looking unto Jesus. It doesn't make any scientific sense, but it makes spiritual sense.
A few years ago, I wrote a song called, Step Out of the Ship. The idea for writing it actually came from a comment my dad had made to someone about how they were looking at the waves in their life, and as a result, how they "fell." I was then reminded of the Biblical account in Matthew 14:23-33. Matthew tells the story of Jesus walking on the water towards His disciples, and how Peter stepped out onto the sea by faith, walking on the waves towards Jesus. But then, instead of keeping His eyes on Christ, he started looking at the wind. It was then that he began to sink. But then he wised up, and he called out to Jesus, Who immediately reached out and grabbed him. That was the smartest thing Peter could do in that situation. I wonder how many times I've been there, and instead of calling out to Christ, I've tried to figure out how I can get myself out of the waves...turn your eyes on Christ, and walk on water!

Verse 1:

The disciples of the Lord were in a ship,

Toiling in their rowing on the sea.

When out walking on the waves they saw a man,

And they wondered in fear who it could be.

For when they saw that man they were afraid.

They were troubled and cried out in fear.

But Jesus quickly spake unto them,

Saying, "It's I, be not afraid, be of good cheer."

Chorus:

Step out of the ship, put your feet upon the water,

Come while the Savior calls to you.

Turn your eyes from the wind,

Keep your eyes upon the Savior,

Come while He calls for you.

Verse 2:

Then Peter answered him, and said, "Lord,

If it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee."

Then Jesus answered him, and said, "Come."

And Peter left the ship for the sea.

But when he saw the wind he was afraid.

He began to sink, and to the Lord cried out.

But Jesus quickly stretched forth His hand,

And said, "O thou of little faith, why dids't thou doubt?"