“Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.” -- Matthew 14:29
Alison loved to sing. She had an unusual voice - rough like silk, a little smoky and dark. She sang with passion; her songs entered the soul long before the ears. But she never sang in public; music was her life . . . not her livelihood. She had no idea how very talented she was. Singing just made her whole.
Friends kept encouraging her to try music out full time. At long last she decided to take the plunge; she’d “step out of her boat” and try singing professionally.
An agent arranged an audition and one day, the stage lights went dim. A bright spotlight streaked across the stage stopping on Alison. The audience went quiet, eagerly anticipating her next move. Tension built as every person in the crowd inhaled.
She looked out. There, facing her at center stage sat her life’s partner, shadowed by the light. She spied a look of confidence on his face. He knew that she could do this. Almost magically she began to sing. Oh, what a sweet sound: the tone divine; her timing perfect.
Those who did not know her were swept away by the melody. Those who believed in her all along stood tall and proud. They all applauded.
Longing for final approval Alison glanced at center stage. Her husband fixed his eyes on her and he mouthed “Well Done!” At that moment she realized that she had seen the face of God
The critics were concise; it only took a few lines to articulate her flaws. “Alison Krause, made her town hall debut last night. Her presentation was not up to contemporary professional standards: her voice lacks the range of tonal color necessary to make it consistently interesting.”
She wouldn’t be deterred. She had tasted the thrill of self-confidence. There would be other opportunities. She had a God-given talent; she would find the right venue to share her gift again.
There are times when God wants to take us to the next level of spiritual growth, but we hesitate out of fear. Instead of stepping out in faith, we tend to linger where we feel comfortable and secure. In doing so, we miss the exciting destiny God has planned for us. His power will flow through our lives continually if we make ourselves available to Him.
Father, help me to be more open to Your calling. You provide us with the abilities we need to complete Your work, but we control when to begin. Help us take that first step and trust the rest to You. Amen
