Matthew 14:30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Recently, a boy who was at my house for lessons was asking me about my mowing. I had just mowed and my neighbor hadn’t so it was easy to see the distinction between the yards. He wondered how I could get such a straight line. I directed his attention to the very back of the yard where there is a stake in the ground. “I just keep my eyes on that stake the whole time.”
The disciples had just seen Jesus and they were terrified! They didn’t usually have this reaction, but this time He was walking on the water! Seeing their fright, He identified Himself and when He had convinced them of Who He was, Peter said, “Call me, Lord!”
When he answered the call, he walked on the water too! In response to Jesus, he did the impossible! But then his focus drifted from Jesus. When his eyes were away from Jesus, he began to see the problems. These were real problems! This was no gentle breeze! As Peter’s focus shifted to the problems, he began to sink. As long as his eyes were fixed on Jesus, he was able to live above the problems almost as though they didn’t exist. But when he began to focus on the problems, it was almost as though Jesus didn’t exist!
We are called Christians. The word comes from ‘little Christs’ and was an early insult! A Christian is a committed follower of Jesus. As such, we need to keep our focus on Him. I cannot follow what I am not watching! But it’s, sadly, not that unusual that we do what Peter did. We focus on the problems, and that’s when the trouble comes.
As long as I focus on Jesus and keep my eyes on Him, the problems of this world won’t have as much an effect on me. However, as long as I focus on my problems and keep my eyes on them, Jesus won’t have as much an effect on me! Peter’s problems were real. They weren’t just fears, or some concoction of his psyche. But they were just as real while he stood on the water with his eyes on Jesus!
There is an old song that says:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace
With our eyes fixed on Jesus, we can walk a straight line for sure!
Blessings,
Pastor Russ
