I just love the story of Jesus commanding Peter to get out of the boat and walk on water toward Him. Perhaps Jesus said it lovingly, but I can just imagine the fear in Peter’s eyes and Jesus loudly saying, “Get out of the boat, Peter! I know it’s your comfort zone, but trust Me…take the plunge…I’m right here!”

I think Jesus probably says that to us every day when we are approached with something that we’ve never done before, a project that might be difficult, or perhaps a task outside our pool of knowledge…like the Zoom services we were forced to create because we were unable to hold live church services. I was terrified. My computer knowledge is minimal, and I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to make it work. But when I “got out of the boat” and trusted that God would give me what I needed, the Zoom experience got us through, and for some, it continues to be a blessing.

While this experience showed me the importance of trusting God for every precious moment in life, I’m not foolish enough to think that I will never again remain in the boat where it’s comfortable and safe. But I do look forward to other moments of discovery, when Jesus will turn His attention to me in my comfortable place and say, “It’s time to get out of the boat!"

About the author: Previously the priest at St. Francis of Assisi in Lake Placid for 21 years, Rev. Elizabeth L. Nelson is now the Priest at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in LaBelle.