By 
Often times when I go to the beach I find that I am content to stand on the shore and look at the water, maybe step in a couple of steps in but the second a large wave comes in I run back to the shore to avoid the wave crashing over me. But then I look at all the other people out in the ocean enjoying the waves and I think, am I missing out on something. My sensibilities win 99 percent of the time. At times I have jumped into the waves, and had a great time but for some reason I seem to forget that the waves are not always dangerous and you have to take a chance and jump in.
I think I often proceed like this in my walk with God, I will step out just beyond the shore but when the waves come, I run back to the shore to watch what goes on. But then the lyrics of a song come through my mind “You call me out beyond the shore into the waves, You make me brave” and the bravery that it takes for us to go beyond the shore. The question then is how brave do we want to be? Do we want to remain close to the shore so we can be run back when things get scary or when we think we will get too wet. What do we define as scary? What is too wet?
I know that for me, there are many things that make me want to run back to the shore. I hate when people draw attention to me in crowds, as much as I hate it, there are times where it is necessary and appropriate. However, there are some in my life that know how much I hate when attention is drawn to me and will purposely draw attention to me in a crowd. I am learning that as much as I hate attention, sometimes God calls me into the waves, actually I am called into the waves more often then I will ever admit but often I do not go. But now, I am making a choice, to into the waves, to be brave. Where is God calling you? What are you avoiding because it looks scary?
