Ak chceš chodiť po vode, musíš vystúpiť z lode

by John Ortberg

Loď je pre nás miesto, kde sa cítime pohodlne. Ak nie pohodlne, tak aspoň bezpečne – vo víre životných búrok, ktorými prechádzame. Voda, na ktorú máme vstúpiť, je divokým živlom – niečím, čo nás ohrozuje a z čoho máme strach.
Vystúpiť z lode preto vždy znamená urobiť krok viery a pustiť sa do neznáma. Vyjsť na cestu, ktorej priebeh je veľmi neistý, ale ktorej koniec je pre nás vždy v niečom dobrý. Nájsť v sebe odhodlanie vystúpiť z lode znamená prijať výzvu a začať rásť napriek všetkým nepriaznivžm okolnostiam. Kráčať po vode znamená byť ochotný riskovať a dôverovať.

Keď ale život nevychádza podľa našich plánov a predstáv, možnosť vzdať sa vyzerá ako sladká úľava:

Toto manželstvo je namáhavé. Chcem odísť. Aj keď sa rovno nerozvedieme, uspokojím sa s priemernosťou, prestanem sa snažiť.

Snažiť sa dodržiavať rozpočet a uctievať Boha desiatkami je príliš ťažké. Budem míňať!
Táto práca alebo služba nie je tým, o čom som sníval. Plánoval som, že budem robiť veľké veci, že budem hrať na väčšom ihrisku – nie že budem musieť zostať verný v tejto situácii. Myslím, že to nechám tak...

Moja rada znie: Nevzdávajte sa ľahko. Rastiete, keď sa usilujete a uplatňujete kontrolu tam, kde môžete, skôr než keď sa za nepriaznivých okolností vzdáte. Rastiete, keď sa rozhodnete byť verní v situácii, ktorá sa vám nepáči a ktorej nerozumiete. Rastiete, keď kráčate ďalej, hoci vidíte a cítite silný vietor. Potom zistíte, že nie ste sami...

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Faith, Spirituality, Religion, Christianity

129 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, and it couldn't have come at more perfect timing in my life! I have often felt inadequate in just about everything I do. My relationships, my job, you name it, I always feel like I'm not good enough. I am afraid of failure. However, the chapter about "seeing the wind" and learning about failure management -- and learning from failure itself -- really made me see that there is no point in worrying about it. Everything in life has risks, and the only true failure is being a "boat potato!"

I also really liked John Ortberg's writing style. It is light and entertaining and he has a great sense of humor. I found myself laughing out loud several times during the course of this book. "I may be small potatoes, Lord, but this spud's for you!"

In addition, he also provides questions for reflection at the end of each chapter. I imagine that would make this book perfect for a small group study. However, they are also good for personal reflection as well.

[L.C. Tang · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was published years ago, in 2001, but in my opinion, it is still very relevant. Written in 10 easy-to-read chapters filled with nuggets of wisdom that get the reader to pause, ponder and reflect about their daily walk. Overall, this read is uplifting and a good reminder to challenge yourself to walk in faith.

[The Book Man · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ “The worst failure is not to sink in the waves. The worst failure is to never get out of the boat.”
~ “He can take what you have to offer and make a difference that matters for eternity.”
~ “Storms have a way of teaching that nothing else can.”
~ “How much faith do I need?
Just enough to come to Jesus.”

MAKE ALL YOU CAN, SAVE ALL YOU CAN, GIVE ALL YOU CAN

~ The way you think creates your attitudes,
the way you think shapes your emotions;
the way you think governs your behavior….

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very nicely done from start to finish...i love Ortberg's style...seriousness/sarcasm/logic combined with a deeprooted respect for Jesus...it was truly a great read...i wouldn't be surprised if its been used to inspire sermons throughout the country

I really appreciate new thoughts and this book exposed one that I never had thought before....yes peter failed when he began to sink and Jesus saved him...but it was the others...the cowards in the boat who didn't step out of the boat who failed the most...and they never knew what it was like to walk on water...

this book made me desperately want to walk on water...not literally...eh on second thought...literally too

[Ellend · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am new to Goodreads but not to reading well written and inspirational books. I read this one a few years ago and it really challenges you to walk with God amidst all of the challenges in our lives. This is the kind of book that helps you look at yourself and your walk in life with a different perspective. A must read for anyone who needs a little inspiration and guidance in life. Well done.

[Lisa Woodward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a particularly religious person but I do consider myself very spiritual. This was an excellent book whether you are one or the other.
It's all about faith and finding God every day.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book uses the story of Peter walking on the water as a teaching example for how we all need to do daring things, stretch ourselves, try something new, put ourselves out of our comfort zone, in order to grow and allow the Lord to help us. But I feel like he could have said it all in 1-2 chapters, instead of the 11 it took.
“The worst failure is not to sink in the waves. The worst failure is to never get out of the boat.”
If you like self help books or spiritual books like this, then you'll probably really enjoy this--it's well done for this genre. I don't like this genre of literature, so once I got passed the initial great connections, it felt tedious. I actually cheered when the book ended because I was so happy to move on to something else to read. (And that was after I kept bumping the speed of the audible book up and up). I finished it because it was for our Christian book group; otherwise I'd probably have lost interest and dropped it.
The audible narrator--Maurice England--was great--he sounded like a husky voiced jolly grandfatherly type of person, imparting bits of country wisdom.
Two more things that I'll mention: Ortberg gives a very detailed retelling of several familiar scriptural stories--Joseph of Egypt, Peter walking on the Water, Moses being called of the Lord and leading his people out of Egypt, Adam and Eve. In an effort to be funny and current, he imbues these stories with a lot of current day language and he assigns motivations to some of the characters that I don't think he earned a right to take liberties on. Especially because imbuing the players with bad attitudes and negative responses seems to diminish some of the reverence or honor we should give to these characters.
Second, Ortberg uses dozens, maybe hundreds of "anecdotes" to fill his chapters. Most of them sound very contrived--like a Reader's Digest joke or a made up story. I think I just wanted a heads up about whether or not these stories he was presenting as true stories really were or not? One case in particular is about Bob, a man who started praying for Kenya and ended up having a political influence on the country, just because of praying for the Kenyans. True? I'm skeptical.
Summary: if you like spiritual books and self help books, then you'll enjoy this.

[Shanshan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started listening to this book not realizing that it is written by a Christian minister. Most of the ideas are illustrated by biblical stories and interpretations, which made the listening experience not unlike listening to a sermon on a Sunday morning. Though a Buddhist myself, I still find a lot of the discussions on faith relevant. For example, while the Christian concept of faith is utterly different from the Buddhist concept of mindfulness, the effect can be strikingly similar - a detachment from results and a focus on the process and the experience. I was also struck by the idea that if you are "gifted", not using your gift defeats the purpose of the creator giving you that gift, like any gift giver would be disappointed if you don't put the gift especially chosen for you to use. A cheesy metaphor may be, it still provides valuable clue to those who (like me) are still clueless as to what to do with their lives...

[Benjamin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Giving credit where credit is due, John Ortberg knows his audience. He knows who is going to read and why and writes to them like there is no tomorrow. He knows how to write to them in order to sell his books. Maybe he believes what he is writing, but by the style, I'd say he's just marketing.

To any serious Christologist, this book is depressing. If Ortberg was trying to convince that God is the authority, he could have done that by quoting Him more, but he quotes himself a lot more often. This is because, for Ortberg, God has to be the Almighty Coach on the sidelines. Jesus can not be On The Cross and In The Way of what Ortberg wants to do with his life or what Ortberg wants you to do with yours.

At best, this is a self-help book on taking risks in life. At worst, its garbage, especially as it's marketed as "Christian". If I could give "zero stars", I would.

[Abby Voss · Rating 4 out of 5]

“… but every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”

There are bits of this book that I didn’t love. Often times authors try to use Bible stories to fit into some modern day lesson and I don’t like it. I understand and love that scripture is applicable to us still today but we don’t have to place boxes around it. Idk if that makes sense but it just irks me.

Otherwise, there were a lot of really good little nuggets in here and i feel really challenged to ask the Lord for more boldness and take big steps of faith! I just want my vision of God to be so much bigger, so I’m excited for Him to answer that prayer!

At the end of the day, I’d recommend this book simply because it calls us away from our comfort zone and I just think that’s important for the Christian. However, not a favorite book by any means.

[Onisim Pînzariu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this and it came at this perfect time in my life and I'm so so grateful for it! For every Christian out there, this is a real push forward and it puts on the table some really important things.
But now, remember: If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book on getting past every day routines and living out your walk with God!

[Darin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really awesome book about the power of stepping out on faith. Its great reading, and I highly recommend reading it with a patner or small group to discuss each chapter.

GREAT BOOK CLUB Reading.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It challenges the idea that living the Christian life is dull and boring. It's the adventure of a lifetime (make that an eternity!) if you're willing to leap out of your comfort zone.

[Heather Lyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm currently teaching this book at our church and it's going wonderfully and we are just now getting into chapter 2 :)

[Tim Chavel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read! If you want to be motived to serve the Lord and to grow in your faith then this is the book for you. Using the story of Peter walking on the water to Jesus Ortberg teaches lots of practical godly lessons for believers today. I have listed several quotes below that spoke to my heart. I hope they will also encourage you!

There is a consistent pattern in Scripture of what happens in a life that God wants to use and improve:
• There is always a call. God asks an ordinary person to engage in an act of extraordinary trust, that of getting out of the boat.
• There is always fear. God has an inextinguishable habit of asking people to do things that are scary to them. It may be a fear of inadequacy (“I am slow of speech and slow of tongue,” Moses said). It may be a fear of failure (“The land we explored devours those who live in it,” cried the spies sent out to the Promised Land). It may even be a fear of God (“For I knew you were a hard man, seeking to reap where you did not sow,” claimed the servant in Jesus’ parable). But one way or another, there will be fear.
• There is always reassurance. God promises His presence (“The Lord is with you, Mighty Warrior!” an angel assures Gideon who had certainly never been addressed by that title before). God also promises to give whatever gifts are needed to fulfill His assignment (I will help you to speak, and teach you what to say” He tells a stuttering Moses).
• There is always a decision. Sometimes, as with Moses and Gideon, people say yes to God’s call. Sometimes, as with the ten frightened spies or the rich young ruler who spoke with Jesus, they say no. But always people must decide.
• There is always a changed life. Those who say yes to God’s call don’t walk the walk perfectly – not by a long shot. But because they say yes to God, they learn and grow even from their failures. And they become part of His actions to redeem the world. ~John Ortberg

David Garland finds a clue in Mark’s version of this story (Peter walking on the water). Mark tells us that Jesus “intended to pass them by” on the water, but when they saw Him walking on the lake, they thought it was a ghost. Why did Jesus want to “pass them by”? Did He decide to race them? Did He want to impress them with a really neat trick?

Garland points out that the verb parerchomai (“to pass by”) is used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament as a technical term to refer to a theophany – those defining moments when God made “striking and temporary appearances in the earthly realm to a select individual or group for the purpose of communicating a message.”

God put Moses in a cleft in a rock so Moses could see “while my glory passes by.” … The Lord passed before him.

God told Elijah to stand on the mountain “for the LORD is about to pass by.”

There is a pattern to these stories. In each case God had to get people’s attention – through a burning bush, or wind and fire, or walking on the water. With each person God was going to call them to do something extraordinary. In each situation the person that God called felt afraid. But every time that people said, “yes” to their calling, they experienced the power of God in their lives. ~John Ortberg

So let me ask you a question: What’s your boat?

Your boat is whatever represents safety and security to you apart from God Himself. Your boat is whatever you are tempted to put your trust in, especially when life gets a little stormy. Your boat is whatever keeps you so comfortable that you don’t want to give it up even if it’s keeping you from joining Jesus on the waves. Your boat is whatever pulls you away from the high adventure of extreme discipleship.

Want to know what your boat is? Your fear will tell you. Just ask yourself this: What is it that most produces fear in me – especially when I think of leaving it behind and stepping out in faith? ~ John Ortberg

Only Peter knew the glory of walking on the water. He alone knew what it was to attempt to do what he was not capable of doing on his own, then feeling the euphoria of being empowered by God to actually do it. ~ John Ortberg

Failure does not shape you; the way you respond to failure shapes you. ~ John Ortberg

Apparently there is something about all living creatures, even amoebas, that demands challenge. We require change, adaptation, and challenge the way we require food and air. Comfort alone will kill us. ~ John Ortberg

The line between “Thou shalt not be afraid” and Thou shalt not be ridiculous” is often a fine one and not easily located. Knowing when to get out of the boat and take a risk does not only demand courage; it also demands the wisdom to ask the right questions, the discernment to recognize the voice of the Master, and the patience to wait for His command. ~ John Ortberg

Arthur Miller writes that this what lies at the heart of seven-days-a-week faith: “It is using one’s endowed giftedness to serve the world with excellence and, through that service, to love and honor God! The calling that fully engages what God has given you is a holy task!”

You have a purpose – a design that is central to God’s dream for the human race. We are, first of all, according to Scripture, called to know God, to receive His love and mercy, and to be His children. We are called to live in the reality of His kingdom and to have Christ formed in us.

As a crucial part of your calling, you were given certain gifts, talents, longings, and desires. To identify these with clarity, to develop them with skill, and to use them joyfully and humbly to serve God and His creation is central to why you were created. ~ John Ortberg

This is your day. If God’s kingdom is to manifest itself right now, it will have to be through you. God Himself will not come to take your place. You are on a mission from God. ~ John Ortberg


A calling is something you discover, not something you choose. The word vocation comes from the Latin word for voice. Discovering it involves very careful listening. ~ John Ortberg

“You cannot choose your calling,” Palmer [Parker Palmer, a Quaker educator and writer] says. “You must let your life speak.” By this phrase he means that an enormous part of following our calling is not so much choosing as it is listening. ~ John Ortberg

It is very important to distinguish what I love doing for its own sake from what I may want to do because of the rewards it may bring me. ~ John Ortberg on discerning your calling

Receiving a calling from God is not the same thing as falling into your dream career. A dream career generally promises wealth, power, status, security, and great benefits. A calling is often a different story.

God called Moses: Go o Pharaoh – the most powerful man on earth. Tell him to let his labor force leave without compensation to worship a god he doesn’t believe in. Then convince a timid, stiff-necked people to run away into the desert. That’s your calling.

And Moses said: Here am I. Send Aaron.

God called Jonah: God to Nineveh – the most corrupt and violent city in the world. Tell its inhabitants – who don’t know you and won’t acknowledge Me – to repent or die.

And Jonah said: When’s the next whale leaving in the opposite direction?

God called Jeremiah to preach to people who wouldn’t listen. It was so hard and Jeremiah cried so much that he became known as the Weeping Prophet. How would you like to have that job title? Who wants a business card that reads “the sobbing CEO” or “the depressed dermatologist”?

As a rule, the people whom we read about in Scripture who were called by God felt inadequate. When God called Abraham to leave home, or Gideon to lead an army, or Esther to defy the king, or Mary to give birth to the Messiah, their initial response was never: Yes, I’m up to that challenge. I think I can handle that.

The first response to a God-sized calling is generally fear. Henry Blackaby writes,

Some people say, “God will never ask me to do something I can’t do.” I have come to the place in my life that, if the assignment I sense God is giving me is something that I know I can handle, I know it is probably not from God. The kind of assignments God gives in the Bible are always God-sized. They are always beyond what people can do, because He wants to demonstrate His nature, His strength, His provision, and His kindness to His people and to a watching world. This is the only way the world will come to know Him.

That doesn’t mean that God calls us in a way that violates our “raw material.” Where God calls, God gifts.

It does mean, though, that natural talent alone is not enough to honor a calling from God. I will need ideas, strength, and creativity beyond my own resources to do what God asks of me. It will have to be God and me doing it together [I like to say God working through me as His instrument]. We are not called just to work for God. We are called to work with God [another way to say this is that we are called of God to work in us and through us as we yield to His Holy Spirit]. ~ John Ortberg

Sometimes, in the providence of God, the end of a career is the beginning of a calling. And you have a calling. You are not a spare part – you are on a mission from God. ~ John Ortberg

Never try to have more faith – just get to know God better. And because God if faithful, the better you know Him, the more you will trust Him. The way to get to know His trustworthiness is to risk obeying Him. ~ John Ortberg

What would you guess is the most common command in Scripture? Fear not. Lloyd Ogilivie notes there are 366 “fear not” verses in the Bible – one for every day of the year, including one for leap year! ~ John Ortberg

Peter was willing to risk failure for the adventure of trusting Christ more. ~ John Ortberg

All of us experience failure, and no one likes it. But for some people it becomes a kind of goad to push on to new learning, deeper persistence, more vigorous commitment, more courageous hearts. For others failure produces utter defeat – a sense of discouragement, a loss of hope, a desire to hide, a secret resolve to never again get out of the boat. . ~ John Ortberg

People’s perceptions of and responses to failure make an enormous difference in their lives – more than IQ, physical attractiveness, charm, and financial assets put together. Those who can learn from it, retaining a deep sense of their own value and marshaling the motivation to try again, become masters of failure management. ~ John Ortberg

Elijah went up the mountain to the cave and was told that the Lord was about to pass by. (This phrase indicates an epiphany – a manifestation of God.) After a great wind, an earthquake, and fire came “a sound of sheer silence.” And then came a still small voice, as God asked Elijah a wonderful question: “What are you doing here?” The best part of the question is that God did not say, “What are you doing there?” God was with Elijah in the cave. ~ John Ortberg


In the cave David discovered that, more than he wanted to be king, he wanted to belong to God. He would rather please God and live in a cave than displease God and sit on the throne. ~ John Ortberg

Hope got Peter out of the boat.
Trust held him up.
Fear sank him.
Everything hinged on whether he was focused on the Savior or on the storm. ~ John Ortberg

Hope is the fuel that the human heart runs on. A car crash or a diving accident can paralyze a body, but the death of hope paralyzes the spirit. ~ John Ortberg

But for one who believes in God, the hinge point is not simply what I’m capable of. The real question is what might God want to do through me. ~ John Ortberg


It (Phil. 4:13) means I have great confidence that I can face whatever life throws at me, that I never need to give up, that my efforts have potency – because of the One at work within me. ~ John Ortberg

When I hope, I believe that God is at work to redeem all things regardless of how things happen to be turning out for me today. Hope does not prevent me from expecting the worst – “the worst is what the hopeful are prepared for.” The Christ-follower is to be marked by what we might call vital hope. ~ John Ortberg

… what God does in us while we wait is as important as what it is we are waiting for. ~ John Ortberg

Waiting on the Lord is a confident, disciplined, expectant, active, and sometimes painful clinging to God. ~ John Ortberg

Waiting on the Lord is the continual, daily decision to say, “I will trust You, and I will obey You. Even though the circumstances of my life are not turning out the way I want them to, and may never turn out the way I would choose, I am betting everything on You. I have no Plan B. ~ John Ortberg

Waiting on the Lord requires patient trust. Will I trust that God has good reasons for saying “wait”? Will I remember that things look different to God because He views things from an eternal perspective? ~ John Ortberg

[Emily Woodham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first two chapters were great. The third and fourth chapter I had to sludge through, but only because I am tired of the Christian version of "find the color of your parachute" so you can serve Jesus better. They weren't bad chapters, and there is nothing wrong with people looking at their strengths and weaknesses to make better choices for vocation and avocations. My current interests are more about theology: the 2nd Coming, the Church, Works vs. Grace, etc.

The fifth chapter had some meat in it, and thereafter I found the book to have a lot of applicable wisdom. The ninth chapter, on waiting, was fantastic and worth the effort of trudging through 3 and 4.

I also liked the last chapter, a reflection on worshipping a big God. Taking time to worship Him focuses us on His character, His omnipotence, His greatness. Living life with a small god that can be manipulated is not living.

Overall, I thought this was a great book!

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

What could you life be if you'd just get out of the boat?

John Ortberg invites you to consider the incredible potential that awaits you outside your comfort zone. Out on the risky waters of faith, Jesus is waiting to meet you in ways that will change you forever, deepening your character and your trust in God. The experience is terrifying. It's thrilling beyond belief. It's everything you'd expect of someone worthy to be called Lord. The choice is yours to know him as only a water-walker can, aligning yourself with God's purpose for your life in the process. There's just one requirement: If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat.

[Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended for those seeking to deepen their relationship with Christ and strengthen their faith. This book has been on my list for quite a while, but I am glad I picked it up at this particular juncture in my life: getting ready to turn 30, preparing to leave on a short-term missions trip in just a few days, thinking about how much I've grown and changed in the last 5+ years and how much more maturing there is still to accomplish. I like Ortberg's style of writing and plan to re-read this very soon, probably in book format to go through it more in depth and answer the questions at the end of each chapter.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those interested in reading spiritual 'study books' or supplemental guides to complement Bible study, this is a good read. Especially if, like me, like feels like it's squeezing in on you and you need to be reminded that you CAN do great things despite the circumstances.

I work at a Christian Daycare and was given this book to read as a portion of my training. I'm so grateful I was given the opportunity to read it. I finished the book in 5 days, I enjoyed it so much. I found it encouraging, inspiring and convicting.

[The Men's Ministry of Denton Bible Church · Rating 5 out of 5]

Far too many of us have put our faith in a casual Christianity that never compels us to leave our comfort zones. But, deep within our hearts we know that Christ has not called us to comfort, but to an exciting, sacrificial and overwhelmingly fulfilling faith. This book will show how to step out of the "boat" of casual Christianity so that we can faithfully follow the Lord who is calling us out onto the risky, exciting waters of a remarkable life of faith.

[Crae Achacoso · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the best book I've read this year. I like how Ortberg referenced relatable and true-to-life stories in the concepts he talked about. My book is practically abused with pen and pencil underlines. It's the type of book you'd love to reread again and again and still get new insights from it each time you do. :)

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

BRILLIANT! There is no other way to describe it... I loved this book! If you've ever struggled with taking that step --- the one you KNOW you have to take but are second guessing yourself -- then READ THIS BOOK. I love the writing style of John Ortberg. He puts things in such a simple and effective way. I'm normally a fiction reader, but this was just as engaging as a fiction book.

[Janice Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding book about the power of having faith. Ortberg writes in a clear, entertaining and motivational style, as he simplifies and brings to life, complicated and sometime what appears to be conflicting scriptural passages and parables. I highly recommend the book to anyone who is trying to gain a better understanding of how Biblical principles relate to everyday life.

[Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy book to read with some searching questions at the end of each chapter. This book was an epiphany for me particularly Chapter 8 on Focussing on Jesus. Not just explained as theory but practical steps. A good small group resource, we're doing it in our group at the moment.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definitely challenges you to "get out of the boat". I've always wondered what it would be like to literally walk on water, but John Ortberg explores stepping out of our comfort zones to "walk on water" in everyday living.

[Porter Sprigg · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's an excellent exploration of taking steps of trust with God. I was convicted and inspired. God is larger than I think of Him in my mind. This book was a healthy reminder that I need to rely on Him more.

[Sarah Gerbers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the progression of this book - the challenges and insight it brings is so valuable. The last chapter was especially impactful and as a worship leader I believe it’s incredibly important. Really, everyone should read this book!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good! I highlighted approx 75% of this book. My only complaint is that I wish I would have read it sooner.

[Jon Barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed his point about the "Rule of Exposure" that we imitate that with which we surround ourselves. A reminder to focus on God and His word.