“Do you trust me?” Aladdin speaks these words to
Princess Jasmine as she ponders getting on the magic carpet. She decides
to take the chance and steps on. In the Disney movie, the song, ‘A
Whole New World’ plays as the princess discovers all the wonders of the
kingdom. This kingdom already belongs to her by her royal birth, but she has
been sheltered within the palace. She has crept out in secret before, but only
caught small glimpses of the outside world. She has no idea all that is
actually hers, simply because of who she is. She is the daughter of the
sultan who rules this kingdom. She is his heir.
Followers of Jesus Christ are called children of God and
heirs of a heavenly kingdom. “And if we are [His] children, then
we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and
fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we
must share His suffering if we are to share His glory.” (Romans
8:17 AMP) Many opportunities and benefits are available to us as
heirs. We find these in the Word of God. Yet many Christians never
step out into what God has planned. We may venture out for a taste of that
plan, but don’t fully step out.
I am reminded of Peter, sitting fearfully in a boat
on a stormy sea. Then he sees Jesus out on the water. “And
Peter answered Him, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the
water. He said, Come! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the
water, and he came toward Jesus.” (Matthew 14:28-29) He was
unhappy in that boat, which was being tossed around. He heard the
invitation of Jesus and responded.
Jasmine did not step out because flying carpets
were known to be safe modes of transportation. Peter did not step out of
the boat because stormy seas had been proven to support a man’s weight.
When analyzed by previous their experiences, stepping out did not make
sense. They both stepped out because they knew and trusted the one who was
inviting them to come along.
Do you know and trust the one who calls to you?
He is trustworthy. “God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy,
and therefore ever true to His promise, and He can be depended on); by Him you
were called into companionship and participation with His Son, Jesus
Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:9AMP) He can be counted on to
fulfill every promise He has made. Jesus is always a faithful companion.
The Lord desires to show you what He has in store for
you. “Ask me and I will tell you
remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.” (Jeremiah
33:3NLT) Ask Him. Then as He reveals these things, you can begin to
walk with Him as you experience them. The magic carpet provided a great
view of the kingdom. But Jasmine had to step off the carpet to experience
what was hers. You can enjoy the view that God’s promise provides, but to
experience what you have in Christ, you have to take a step in the direction of
the promise. Only then can you walk out the plan you are called to.
He promises to be with you every step. “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the
age.” (Matthew 28:18b AMP)
So what are some ways the Spirit of God is calling you to
step out? What dreams of your heart have yet to be explored? These
can be small or large. It can be a baby step of obedience that doesn’t seem to
make sense. It could be changing the entire path your life is on. It can
be reviving a dream you thought was lost. It can be a multitude of things
somewhere in between.
Making a commitment to write three stories a week
for this blog took stepping out. It had nothing to do with confidence in
my creative abilities. Reviving my dream to write, was not something that
I had even considered at this stage of my life. Yet, here I am, with an
assurance that these story ideas are coming from God, and that He wants me to
share them. The challenge still seems a bit daunting. (I asked repeatedly
if three stories a week was really His plan and never felt differently.)
So I will trust His faithfulness to provide. I will continue to write as He
leads. Without a doubt, responding with trust to this call has brought
joy and satisfaction.
So Jesus poses the question to you each day.
“Do you trust me?” Take His hand. See, trust and walk in all He has
for you.
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