Walking on Water

Although he claimed the motivational gift of exhortation (Romans 12:8) the late Don Pickerill was one of the best Bible teachers I have ever had the privilege of hearing. I suppose "Bible" is not really the best word to use there because although he did teach the Bible, being a exhorter, he taught more practical Theology and left the studies of the original languages and the parsing of the verbs mostly to the teachers.


One evening in a college classroom, Pastor Don taught about the ability of the Christian to walk on the water as Peter had the night Jesus invited him to get out of the boat, in the middle of the night, in the midst of a storm. (Matthew 14:22-33) I had no idea what he was talking about. When he jumped up and down on the concrete floor to show how great it was to be able to walk on water, I was pretty sure he had lost his mind all together. As a Bible college freshman, it did not occur to me that he was moving in a spiritual realm I had barely peeked into. He was talking about life in the Spirit, about walking in the miraculous. I sort of knew about the Holy Spirit and I had heard of miracles. Pastor Don's brother, Dr. Donald McGregor, once said, "L.I.F.E. Bible College must be the greatest depository of spiritual knowledge in the universe. The freshmen come in knowing so much and the graduates leave knowing so little." I was an exception to that rule. I arrived knowing virtually nothing and graduated having learned a little more.


Something has been going on around me that has made me understand what Pastor Don was talking about that night 38 years ago. If you have been reading these pages since the beginning of this year, you have most of the information and some insight into what is happening. If I read the numbers correctly, this is the tenth post this month. That means lots is going on. You probably think I have suddenly become a very prolific writer. I am wondering why I cannot get a break. Oh, wait, this is probably what the whole termination from work was about. I have always preferred Jesus' yoke to any that have been put upon me by others or those I have taken upon myself. He said His yoke is easy and His load is light. (Matthew 11:27-28) Let me be his witness. That is a totally true statement.

We mentioned in a previous post that people have been gathering around me for the past year or so. When I began to understand that was happening, I also realized something else. Their confidence, encouragement, and prayers have begun to lift me up. God's mercy and grace has met us in the process. While my feet seem to be on solid ground, it is unlike any ground I have walked before. In fact if feels a little spongy, like water might. I am not at all sure about that. I have never walked on water before.

I can tell you this. If Jesus were to beckon me from the boat today to join Him in a walk on the water, there would be no hesitation on my part. (I hope I am not giving myself too much credit here.) When Jesus reaches out his hand to me, I fully expect to be reaching my hand out toward him.

This is a short post, and maybe it is not for everyone. To those of you who believe in me, that I am following the Master's call, and doing the right thing; to those of you who are lifting me up, by whatever means, please accept my most sincere thank you. We may not be quite sure where we are going yet, but we are on the right course. We are marching together, following Jesus. God bless!