Calling on the name of the Lord

Romans 10:13 “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 

The story of Peter walking on the water in Matthew 14 gives a great example of calling on the name of the Lord. After the feeding of the 5000 men not including the women and children, Jesus sent his disciples ahead in the boat to cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. 

Jesus dismissed the multitude and went up the mountain by himself to pray. Meanwhile the wind had come up on the sea, and the disciples were battling a terrible storm. 

By morning Jesus had finished praying and walked on the water toward the disciples while the wind and the waves raged. The disciples thought they were seeing a ghost, but brave Peter asked the apparition as it were of the Lord to command him (Peter) to come to him (Jesus) on the water. So, Jesus commanded Peter and he got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 

But as he walked, he began to notice the storm all around him and when his focus failed, he became afraid and began to sink. His first reaction was to call out to Jesus to be rescued from his circumstances. Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand, caught him and returned to the boat. 

Here the only disciple brave enough to voice a request in the middle of the storm, the only disciple who got out of the boat, the only disciple who actually walked out on the water, hear Jesus say “O you of little faith. Why did you doubt?” (No star on his forehead, no medal for bravery, no words of encouragement like “don’t worry, you’ll do it better next time” “why did you doubt?” (1 Timothy 2:8; Romans 14:23, Acts 11:12, Mark 11:23, Matthew 21:21, James 1:6) 

What was it that Peter did? But to listen to the words of worry and fear the enemy of his soul whispered to him. The thought the enemy sowed into his heart. Take no thought Matthew recorded in Matthew 6:25, 28, 31, 34, Matthew 10:19, Mark 13:11, Luke 12:121, 22, 26. Taking fearful words implanted into our hearts causes weeds to grow (Genesis 3:1 . . . hath God said? . . .) . So, it was with Peter but Peter called out the name of the Lord—God is salvation!! God of salvation, save me! And immediately he was rescued, his life was redeemed from destruction. Jeremiah 33:3 states “Call unto me and I will answer thee . . .and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not. Do we call out to the God of Salvation (1 Chronicles 16:35, Psalm 65:5, Psalm 68:19 – 20, Psalm 79:9, Psalm 85:4), or do we think we can do it ourselves?

I recall another person who called out. He cried wolf and the townspeople came to help him with clubs and knives to rescue him from the wolf, but the boy laughed saying,” I was just lonely and called so you would come and I would have some company.”. 

The townspeople were angry because they were made fools (Proverbs 26:19). But the shepherd boy did it a second time with similar results until the third time he called, and the townspeople did not respond in rescue and he was left to battle the wolf alone.

Some of us can be like that. When things aren’t going our way, do we take the name of the Lord in vain (Exodus 20:7), asking him to respond when we’re just people of loose and unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5). Not really wanting him to intervene but using his name as a curse word. The Lord responds repeatedly until he knows we are not really calling for his help and we suffer the consequences of our reckless demands on our God.

God’s exceeding great and precious promises (2 Peter 1:4) should not be taken lightly but treasured and used in an appropriate time and in an appropriate way.