you can still fly

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
"Come," he said.
 Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" Matthew 14:25-31)

I am watching one of my favorite movies: Hook. It is the story of Peter Pan. He has grown up into Peter Panning, a lawyer, and has forgotten who he was. He is back in Neverland and the new leader doesn’t like him nor believe him. The children all desert him except for one little boy. He looks at the adult Peter Panning from all angles, finally moving his face into a rictus of a smile. When he does, he sees the old Peter Pan and says, There you are, Peter.

Sometimes we forget where we came from. The initial ideals have been lost in time and our vision, our excitement, our verve in life is gone.

Once upon a time we were one of the most visionary people we knew. There was nothing that was impossible. We could almost feel the power of God coursing through our veins.

Then trouble came. And not just one trouble, but a series of disappointments that kept sapping our psychic strength, moving us away from God. We start taking our eyes off Jesus and when we do, we sink in the despair of life.

It’s easy to forget what is important, to let things in life get you down. Before long, we are acting like an old man, one whose life is over and whose dreams are dead.

Then something happens that brings your vision back. Like Peter Pan when he has the dawning realization of who he is and what he, as Peter Pan, is capable of. He can fly! He can fight! He can do stuff other people only dream about. And he forgot!

How in the stupid world can you forget that kind of power? How can you forget the things that God gave you to do?

Through you, the power of God healed people at one time. Through you, people were brought into a greater relationship of the Holy Spirit. One time at Halloween, three people came dressed as YOU. You used to be a real person with real dreams and a real vision and you really thought you could do anything through the power of God.

His power is still there. It never left. And one of these days you are going to have to wake up to the power of God that is still in your life.

He is still there, even if you are older. You can still fly. Bang-a-rang.