I was standing on a small island, about the size of four parking spaces. In the middle of Key Biscayne, north of the Rickenbacker Causeway to the mainland. This island had one palm tree and the rest was sand. The water was that magical light blue-green of Caribbean water. There were a handful of sharks swimming around the island. I could see their fins above the water. Swimming and swimming. It was hot and the sun was shining, I had to squint my eyes. I was alone on the island.
I was scared of the sharks, they were circling the island, lifting up their heads to look at me once in awhile. I was afraid, scared, shaking, and I wanted off that island right away.
You know this was a dream by now, right?
Afraid. Scared. I want to be on the safe mainland, which was in site. I called out and no one could hear me. So I prayed - God rescue me. I'm scared. Get me out of here!
I remembered the story of Peter walking on the water. When he kept his eyes focused on Jesus and when he kept his belief solid that he COULD walk on water, he did. Matt 14: "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. When he doubted, he fell in.
I remembered the title of Ortberg's book which I love, If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. A GREAT book title.
So, in my dream, I think of this title, and walk to the edge of my tiny island.
I pray to God to rescue me and let me walk on water and end up on dry land in Miami. God, I believe in You. I will step out and I will walk on the water. It's not too far, I could see the dry land.
I put one foot on the water. It goes right to the bottom, doesn't work. Well, I try again, this time taking a huge step out further, and nope, right to the bottom.
Okay, I pull back, as all the sharks are RIGHT THERE watching me... And I think, Peter didn't have to deal with sharks.
I pause for a minute.
Hmmm.
I know God could make it so I walk on water. Do I not have enough faith?
Then I pray, God rescue me and guide me what to do.
A little different prayer than before.
BOOM!
All of a sudden (dreams are great) I see so many other options. Common sense ones.
There is a rowboat beached on this island which has been there all the time. I never noticed it.
A Coast Guard boat with a rescue dog comes zooming up towards me with a megaphone and they are calling out to me, do I need help?
A helicopter comes overhead, dipping down to talk to me.
And I notice I have a cell phone in my hand, which has been there all the time.
I wasn't scared anymore. I don't know which exit strategy I chose. The dream was over.
God doesn't need always to do the miraculous, the action-movie stunt, the dramatic turn around, the instant fix. He always can, but He doesn't always need to. Sometimes He works through the gentle, the progressive, the steady and the subtle.
He will rescue us.
He will redeem us.
He never will forget us.
He never will leave us.
BUT, He will do it in HIS TIME, in HIS MANNER.
He is the authority. He is in control.
I need to stop trying to tell God exactly how to run my life.
I love dreams...
