The who explains the how

Often when I read the Bible, I realize how very different the way I want God to operate is from the way He actually does.  We place a high premium on planning and knowing, on crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s, and there’s nothing wrong with any of those specific things, it’s just that they aren’t the first things on God’s to-do list for establishing His will in this world.  It seems He’s much more concerned with obedience, trust, and our willingness to go “all in” when He asks us to.

I know most of you didn’t like reading that, so here are some rock solid examples in Scripture that back it up.

1.  Abraham – called to leave his country and go “to a land I will show you” in Genesis 12:1
2.  Gideon – told to “get up [and] go down against the camp because I am going to give it into your hands” in Judges 7:9
3.  Peter – simply told to “come” in Matthew 14:29

Those are enough to help you have some interesting quiet times over the next few days, but for now, let’s unpack the third example because I think it reveals a lot to us about the way we often respond to the call of God into new areas.  In fact, I’ve found that “how” is often the first question we ask, but it’s usually the last question God answers.  Peter’s story shows what can happen when we trust first, and unfortunately, what can happen when we begin to try and figure out the how.

To his credit, he obeyed.  He had told Jesus to call him out of the boat, and when Jesus gave him the one-word call, Peter slipped his leg over the edge of the boat and stood up on the water.  I don’t know if he was quick about it, or if he took the time to put some weight on one foot to test it before totally leaving the security of the boat, but let’s just give the man props for getting out of the boat at all.  There were, after all, 11 others who didn’t.

Even we don’t do what Peter did.  If you or I had been in that boat, we may very well have believed that Jesus was calling us out of the boat, but we would have asked a lot of “how” questions first.

“How will You cause the liquid to become solid?”

“How will You keep the waves from crashing on me as I walk to You?”

“How far will I be walking?”

“How long will it take to reach You?”

All good questions that are motivated by the greatest one of all: “How will You keep me safe?”

Now we get to it, don’t we?  The sticking point behind our incessant need to understand the how of what God is calling us to do.  It is our need to feel safe, protected, secure even though what He may be calling us to is unknown and more than likely, much bigger than we are.  We can’t quite wrap our brains around the enormity of it all, and so we start asking how?  Typically, we don’t even make it as far as Peter, but even Peter eventually starting asking how, as well.

“How is this possible?”

“How am I still walking on water?”

“How much longer can I do this before I sink?”

As we learn from Peter’s quick trip on – and into – the water, it doesn’t take too many how questions before our eyes lose sight of Jesus, and often, the difference between the wrong first question and the right one is simply moving one letter.

Do that, and “how” becomes “who.”

Who called you? (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

Who has defeated every power that can try to stop you? (Colossians 2:15)

Who is for you, and if He is, who can be against you? (Romans 8:31)

Who has given you every spiritual blessing you need? (Ephesians 1:3)

Who has prepared good works for you to do? (Ephesians 2:10)

These are much better first questions, and while there are times to ask how, it is a question that only needs to be asked when we’ve settled the question of who.  After all, it’s hard to go all in for a method, but it’s not hard to go all in for a man.  Answer who the man is, and you’ll find that how becomes much less critical as long as you’re following the right One.

He is faithful, and He will do it.  Once we’ve settled that, how He does it becomes part of the adventure.

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