Dead Fish

Matthew 14:28-29

New Living Translation (NLT)

Hmmm…heard this interesting radio spiel today which caught my attention.  It simply said that a fish can choose to jump out of it’s environment provided by it’s creator and die. They then went on to explain that when Christians jump out of what God has provided for them, they also die spiritually.  I began to ponder some things as I began to wonder about that fish choosing to jump out of it’s bowl.  Why would it do that?  How would it even know what it was jumping into or out of?  See where I am going….how do we know as Christians the same question…when we accept Jesus do we know what we are jumping out of or in to?

Let’s further examine the life of a fish.  For example purposes we will use a Beta..one who lives a single life because if you let two share a tank they will soon surely kill each other.  You (being it’s substitute parent) buy the fish.  Upon purchasing the fish you go through the motions of providing it with shelter and food and landscaping and water and chemicals to make the water safe.  In addition to all these things, you learn how to create a safe environment which is not too hot nor too cold; along with proper feeding.  Everyone following so far?

Now, let’s say this fish decides there might be something better on the outside of this PERFECT environment we have created for him.  He decides one day he just wants something different, perhaps thinking something better is just outside the bowl.  Now what do you think the last thing this fish is thinking as it is flopping on the table gasping for it’s last breath?  “Man, should’ve stayed in the bowl!”  “Why did I do that?”  “Dude, I had the perfect life”  “I wish I could jump back in”

I am sure there are many other thought processes but for the sake of time, we will just go with those.  What happens to us Christians when we get out of the bowl God has created for us?  He provides us with shelter and food and pretty things to look at.  He knows what our bodies can handle and just the right amount of things to feed us…spiritually speaking.  Why are we always trying to get out of the bowl?  Let’s see the bowl as His perfect will for our lives.  He has chosen us and placed us right where He needs us to be to fulfill our destiny….all we have to do is keep swimming; why would we ever want to get out of the bowl?

Hebrews 12:1

One last thought on this subject is about walking on water.  We need to get out of our boats to walk on water, but we don’t have to get out of our place of destiny to do so.  We can be right where we are and begin to walk on water which is simply just walking this life in faith, knowing that we will overcome and God is right beside us the whole time.  We know that He will provide the right environment for all of us to see our destinies come to pass even if it seems impossible to us.

Wikipedia describes Walking on Water as: Walking on water is at times used as an example of an impossible task. The phrase is widely used to refer to the performance of extraordinary tasks, as in the titles of books that aim to show individuals how to break through their personal limitations and achieve dramatic success

Are you happy right where you are?  Are you content in knowing God has and will provide for your every need?  Are you willing to just keep swimming until Jesus returns? Take a moment and think about where God has placed you.  Are you willing to finish the race?