TRUST AND OBEY
TRUST AND OBEY
T BY TRENT BARNETT
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he last verse of the classic hymn “Trust and Obey” ends with the line: “what He says we will do, where He sends we will go, never fear, only trust and obey.” What an amazing reminder of what our hearts posture should always be. For some, you’re there - following, trusting, obeying, wherever
the boat. We often focus on what happens later, when Peter shifts his attention and begins to sink, but for now, let’s stick to what happens first. When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, Scripture says they were “terrified,” and “cried out in fear” (v. 26). Then when Jesus calls Peter to come out of the boat, Scripture simply says “Peter got out of the boat…” (v. 29) - no fear, no hesitation, just obedience. You see, OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST IS ITSELF AND ACT OF WORSHIP. Worship is ascribing worth to someone, and people don’t typically obey someone they see as having no value or worth. You recognize their value and respond based on that. Peter knew the value of Jesus, and responded accordingly - he got out of the boat, while the other disciples stayed. He trusted and acted in obedience when others were still sitting in the boat, fearful of what was taking place. He worshiped Jesus through his obedience.
If you asked these disciples, they would have all said of course they trusted Jesus. Yet, they didn’t act on that trust, at least not in this passage. When God calls you to step out of the They remained in the boat as pasboat...that step can only be taken in sive observers. But when it comes to a genuine posture of worship, surrender and obedience.” there is no such thing as a passive observer. You can go through the and whatever that looks like. But for motions, you can even fake an apmany of us, we know that’s what our pearance of “worship,” BUT WHEN lives should look like, but we strugGOD CALLS YOU TO STEP OUT OF gle to truly trust, to obey, and to folTHE BOAT, TO GO BEYOND YOUR low wherever He leads. COMFORT ZONE, TO SURRENDER TO HIS WILL OVER YOUR OWN, In Matthew 14, Jesus appears to THAT STEP CAN ONLY BE TAKEN the disciples and calls Peter out of IN SURRENDER AND OBEDIENCE.
LIVEOAKCHURCH | www.loumc.org | July 2019
