It's Time to Cross Over

There is so much meaning that can be mined out of the verses in Matthew 14:22-36 if we are willing to do the work. There is so much rich application that can help us sail through not only the storms of our lives but the smooth waters.

What is hindering you? What barriers do you face that keep you from moving forward in your life? Even though the disciples would likely have preferred to have a restful evening celebrating the incredible miracle they had witnessed that day (Jesus feeding the 5,000), Jesus challenged them to cross over to the other side. In the same way, I believe that the Lord is constantly challenging each one of us to cross over to the other side—to keep moving forward and not be satisfied with the status quo. This challenge to go farther implies that there is more waiting for you on the other side. No matter what kind of barrier you are up against, you must realize that, by definition, the purpose of a barrier is to obstruct progress. The enemy of your soul will use anything available to obstruct your progress and hinder you from moving forward in your life.

While we can readily see examples of the people of God being led into transitions from one place to another, the greater narrative in the Scriptures is not about transition as much as it is about transformation. Here are just a few examples of biblical transformation:

• God transformed Abram into Abraham. (See Genesis 17:3-8)
• God transformed Jacob into Israel. (See Genesis 35:9-13)
• God transformed Saul into Paul. (See Acts 9)

God’s stated purpose for our lives in Romans 12:2 is transformation. He delights in seeing us progress from one level to the next until we reach the peak of our potential to become all that He designed us to be. At the beginning of this chapter, you were prompted to identify the barriers in your life. Barriers exist to paralyze our progress and derail our destiny in God’s kingdom. We are called to cross over and we must not allow the barriers to stop us. What is in your heart that God has called you to become? There is an ultimate version of you that God wants to bring out. And He is waiting for you to answer the call—to cross over to the other side.