The 4th Watch

A Journal by:  Marilyn Grosboll

Jaque is submitting this journal with permission on Marilyn’s behalf.  Jaque loved the journal because it is forthright, honest, and simple.

Scripture Reference:  Matthew 14:27-31 NKJV

But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”  And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”  So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Lord, you often come in the 4th watch of the long night and often I do not recognize that it is you! The unexpected changes that come my way often bring fear and a “troubling” response until I can see and know it is you.

Yes Marilyn, I identify Myself to you for I want to replace your fear with assurance and hope. I arrive in your physical reality in new and unfamiliar ways, yet I always identify Myself quickly to bring you peace and “good cheer.”

Lord, I can so relate to Peter’s request…”if it is you”…followed by me telling you what you need to do to prove yourself to me. I so want to learn to clearly see you, to recognize you quickly, and to respond with relaxing trust, enlarged confidence and genuine celebration of who you are. Until I grow up in you, all I can say is, “I believe–help Thou my unbelief.”

Marilyn, I do not mind that you test the unfamiliar and unknown ways that I come to you in those dark moments, nor do I mind that you ask Me to empower you to do the impossible appearing things. It pleases me that you desire to draw close to Me whenever you recognize My presence in the middle of your fearful moments. I always want you to come to Me. I want to walk with you through all of your “troubled times.” I placed that desire within Peter’s heart. I placed the faith to believe in the impossible and the courage to do what had never been done before. I specialize in making a way where there is no way. The only mistake that Peter made in this story was he became momentarily distracted by the external circumstances. He allowed his eyes to focus on his physical reality versus locking in his focus on Me and Me alone. He stopped walking by faith (unchanging invisible) and began trusting what his eyes (sight) perceived as reality.

Lord, what I notice is that you reached out and saved him the moment he recognized his error and reached out to you. Even though you knew he was going to be distracted and sink, you did not deny his desire to walk towards you! You allowed him the experience, the opportunity to learn that you are more than enough to complete the work you’ve begun in us!