Fix Your Eyes

Hello readers! I’m back! So I came up with the idea of this blog a little over a month ago, but I’m just now finding the time to write it. It’s actually a funny coincidence that the passage of scripture I’m going to talk about is the same passage that was preached a couple of weeks ago at Engage JSU (a college ministry I’m involved in.)

Also, DISCLAIMER: I got to thinking about this the other day and I feel like I need to address it. I don’t want anybody to be under the impression that I’m perfect and that I don’t have struggles. Chances are, if I write a blog post about it, I have or am currently struggling with the subject that I blog about. Not always, but a lot of times that will be the case. So please do not read my posts and be under the impression that I don’t have trouble “choosing joy” every day, or that I don’t struggle with making excuses before God. Because I do, EVERYDAY! But I’ve been told that I give decent advice, and I happen to be an okay writer. So I’m just here to blog about what I struggle with, what I have watched others struggle with, and what I’ve learned from these struggles.

So now that I’ve written a mini novel as a disclaimer, let’s move on!

Like always, I’m just going to jump right in with scripture.

 

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” ²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”²⁹ “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

-Matthew 14:22-33

 

Okay, so that’s pretty straight forward, right? I mean if you’ve been in church for any given amount of time, you’ve probably heard this story.

Basically, Jesus walks on the water, Peter asks Jesus to confirm that it’s him by letting him walk on the water. Jesus is like “Well come on Peter, what are you waiting for?” So then Peter steps out on the water and begins to walk. But something interesting happens. And that’s what I want to focus on.

³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

 

So in December, I went skiing for the first time. Long story short, the Lord did not intend for me to become a professional skier. It was an adventure to say the least. I have never been extremely athletic, but I’ve always wanted to be. So I was determined to at least make it down the biggest bunny slope. And I did. But that’s not the point of this story.

We were fortunate enough to be able to have a lesson with a ski instructor, so I at least knew how to stand up in my skis. The most important thing that the instructor told us to do is to keep our eyes forward, to keep our eyes on her. Because, the moment you look down at your feet, you’re going to fall.

Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, and he began to sink. He got so caught up on the wind and the waves, that he took his eyes off Jesus. So he began to sink.

This happens to us, too. None of us have probably ever walked on water, but when the “storms” of life hit us, we tend to take our eyes off of Christ. Why do we do that? Like, we take our eyes off the only one who can truly help us. It’s kind of ridiculous if you think about it. But see what Peter does next? As soon as he begins to sink, he cries out to the Lord to save him. We can learn something from Peter, here. When the storm comes and we begin to sink, we should immediately cry out for help from the Lord. The cool thing about it is, the Lord is GUARENTEED to reach out and take you by the hand.

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

So here are 4 things I want you to get out of this post:

1.     Fix your eyes on Jesus. It will make things much easier.

2.     There are going to be times when you “look down at your feet.”

3.     When those times come, quickly call out to Jesus for help.

4.     Jesus WILL reach out and take you by the hand, you just have to take the first step by calling out to him.

 

This has been a shorter post, but I hope it speaks to you the way it spoke to me. Remember to ALWAYS fix your eyes on Jesus. He will never fail you. And when the time comes when you DO take your eyes off of Him (because that time WILL come), remember to quickly call out to Him. He’ll reach out and grab your hand to keep you from drowning.

THANK YOU to all of my faithful readers! I have no clue when my next post will be, or what it will be about. You’ll just have to wait and see! Thanks again for reading!

 

Remember, Jesus loves YOU!

 

Hannah ♥