Week 2 – TEACHING:
Come
– Jasmine Eye
I am not an educated woman, unless you count street knowledge and drug use. Perhaps I know too much. My record isn’t a pretty one.
As I sat incarcerated—again—with fifteen years hanging over my head, the Lord met me where I was. He came to me and talked to me, and to every other woman incarcerated with me. He came and sat in our boat with us and plainly laid out our options: “Life or death. Me or the world.” He was kind and non-judgmental, but His message was loud and clear. I had a choice—although not a choice, not really.
I was still in the medical wing, halfway through booking, when He spoke to me. I imagined the disciples were halfway out to sea when the winds got rough, and they feared for their lives, and Jesus moved quickly to ease the disciples’ fears: “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
The Bible says that Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” The Lord gave to Peter not a choice, but a command: “Come.” In this same way, Jesus said to me, “Come, get to know Me.”
He led me to the Book. He wanted to teach me about Himself from the Bible. As I read, my confidence shot through the roof. If what He said was true, I, too, could walk on water. I could go right through these prison walls, and He would teach me how.
But it wasn’t easy. The court dates, the fist fights, and the cruelty of the guards sapped my courage, and I would cry and think, “I am never getting out of here.” And then I remembered the boldness of Peter leaving the boat, confident as long as he had his eyes on Jesus. That’s when I decided I would represent myself with Jesus by my side as He promised he would be. With confidence in the Lord, and blind to my surroundings, I fired my attorneys and put my trust in Jesus.
Six months into my fifteen-year sentence, I was released from prison. No one could have done that, but Jesus had helped me! All I had to do was ask and to trust Him. For the disciples, the wind ceased and they could head to safe harbor. For me, I was freed without a fight! They just decided to let me go!
Jesus laughs, I’m sure, and continues to teach me as, in obedience, I listen to His voice. Even when we tremble and cry and cower, He comes to comfort and to TEACH. I have moved a mountain through faith in Him who can walk on water and will teach us all to do the same if we are not afraid to listen and obey.
So, open your Bible, get on your knees, and let Him speak to you and continue His lessons, even if they make no sense to those around you. Act on the lessons he teaches you in faith, whether by building an ark for rain that doesn’t exist, or firing professionals like I did. Just do it. He might be teaching you to walk on water.