Gò0dNews for Everyone
Come!
T
by Aimee Hays
he warm Sanibel sand, radiant South Florida
I imagine being one of Jesus’ disciples whom He made
sunshine, and refreshing ocean waves washed over
get into the boat while thinking, “Okay, Jesus, you are
my feet while taking my breath away. Stepping into
sending me out onto the water, and you’re not coming, too?
the water along the shoreline as the waves gently kissed
Where are you going? Don’t you think you ought to come,
my sandy feet was exactly where I found comfort. Looking
too? What if we get out there and something happens?”
down, I could see my feet through the transparent water of the Gulf of Mexico, and I knew that the shark that was
Jesus has a way of allowing us to experience situations where peace is not found in the safety of the shoreline,
probably 10 feet offshore could not consume me for its lunch. Yes, as I attempted to relax at the beach, my mind told me to stay where I could see and know that I was out of danger. I guess you’ve figured out that I am not one of the brave souls who can lunge out into the deep, dark water beyond where I know what is beneath or around me. The constant, gripping fear of becoming shark bait wrapped my mind and kept me from having peace. Content and in control, I could stay on the shore! You might be like me and want the control of being able to know exactly what is going to happen next in life, being able to see the next step, or to know what
where everything is idyllic and predictable. Recently, I
all is possibly going to happen around you, but I have
found myself in the middle of one of life’s storms, and the
learned that God does not want us to live on the shores
deep waters of uncertainty and hopelessness surrounded
of control.
me. I had two choices: succumb to the waves of life and give
In Matthew 12:22, it says, “Immediately Jesus made His
up or listen to Jesus call out to me as He did to Peter in verse
disciples get into the boat and go BEFORE Him to the other
29: “So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down
side, while He sent the multitudes away.” Did you notice
out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.”
that it tells us that Jesus made His disciples get into the
His grace abounds in the deepest waters. Let’s fix our
boat? It seems like they were not willing to go without Him,
eyes on Jesus and listen as He calls us, “Come!” Get out of
but He made them go! Letting go of what we want to do and
the boat today and trust Him.
was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.”
40 // April 2020
About The Author
trusting Jesus can be hard. In verse 24, it says, “But the boat My name is Aimee Hays. I am a native Roman and graduate of Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. I am married to my husband Tony Hays who teaches 8th grade and mother to Hunter and Landon Hays. I am an elementary school principal and educator of 24 years and have a passion for sharing the love of God with others.
