Matthew 14:30 (CSB)
But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
1. Suddenly: “From Zero to Hero, Just Like That!”
Have you ever had one of those moments where you thought, “Man, I’m sunk!” like Peter, walking on water one moment and sinking the next? Imagine the scene: Peter’s all excited, ready to walk on one of the most terrifying entities of the ancient world, “the stormy sea.” Peter does it—for a moment anyway. But when he sees the wind and considers the fierceness of the storm-tossed sea—he begins to sink. He cries out to Jesus, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30). Look at how Jesus delivers: “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’” (Matthew 14:31, CSB).
Think about Joseph in the Old Testament. He had been thrown in prison for doing the right thing and following his convictions (Genesis 39:20). He had been in prison so long that he probably marked the years on his cell wall like tally marks on a desert island. But when the time came for him to get a Kingdom promotion, he goes from the prison to the palace in one day. He goes from a forgotten prisoner to the second most powerful man in Egypt (Genesis 41:40). It's like God went from the pause button in Joseph’s life to the fast forward button all in one moment.
Lesson: God's delivery system can move at supernatural Kingdom speed.
2. Strangely: “When Your Uber Is a Big Fish”
Now let's talk about Jonah, the guy who got takeout delivery by a big fish. "Then the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land" (Jonah 2:10, CSB). I can see the Yelp review now: "Two stars. The fish taxi smelled terrible, but it got me exactly where I needed to go."
By this world's standards, God's Kingdom delivery methods are unconventional. Like Jonah, you might find yourself in the belly of a problem that you think is going to be the end of you. But God will use that very thing that you think is going to destroy you to deliver you.
Lesson: The thing that you think is going to destroy you might just be the instrument God is using to deliver you.
3. Substitutionally: (I know, I know, that word is a little clunky, but this way all the headings begin with “s.” It’s a preacher thing.)
So you've heard of the buy one, get one deal, right? How about this: Give nothing, get everything! "But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath" (Romans 5:8–9, CSB).
That’s a Kingdom of Heaven offer, and nothing in this world can match it. God’s grace is free; you couldn’t earn it if you wanted to. Because if you earned it, that’s not grace; that would be wages. “Now if by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise, grace ceases to be grace” (Romans 11:6, CSB).
Lesson: God’s delivery system is based on grace, not works.
Kingdom Delivery
So there you have it, folks! God delivers us in ways that are faster than a speeding bullet, stranger than fiction, and more generous than a grandparent with candy. So next time you find yourself sinking in a storm of problems or stuck in the belly of a stinky tight spot, remember: God's Kingdom delivery plan has your name on it. As Melissa always reminds me, “God is never early, He’s never late, He's always right on time.” You can trust Him. He knows what you're going through and sees you right where you are; you might be surprised by the sudden way He strangely delivers you.