Focusing on Jesus

Matthew 14:28-31

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” Jesus said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when Peter 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?”

Someone once said that running has great power over our lives – it can take us to our highest highs and our lowest lows. I find this to be true in my life. When all things running are going great, I’m on the top of the world. But when running does not cooperate, I’m greatly discouraged. Failures in running tend to color my perspective on life.

We have far greater issues in life, though, than defeats in running. And Peter shows us the difference between focusing on the Lord and focusing on the problem. Jesus invites Peter to climb out of a boat and walk on water. Peter follows the directions but realizes he has a choice – to focus on the Lord or to focus on the water. When he keeps his gaze locked on Jesus, he experiences a true miracle – the ability to walk on water. But when he turns his focus to the water, he faces certain death.

Yet Jesus is right there to save Peter and to gently point out Peter’s biggest problem: not that Peter tried to overcome wind and waves nor that Peter was foolish for trying to break the laws of gravity. No, Jesus tells Peter that his biggest problem is his lack of faith and trust. The Savior of the world is right there to ensure Peter’s safety, but Peter decides that the problem at hand is bigger than his God.

Jesus is as close to us as He was to Peter that night. He promises us in the Bible that He will be with us always through His Holy Spirit. He is close enough to reach out to us when we are standing outside of the boat at 3:00 in the morning, focusing on the waves and presuming that we are facing certain death.

How often do we act like Peter and forget that the One who controls the wind and waves can enable us to walk on water? Jesus invites us to come to Him and is able to transcend the problems and dangers that surround us. He does so to increase our faith and to reveal His mighty power. Let’s turn to Him and ask Him to help us keep our focus where it needs to be.

Dear Lord, you are mighty to save us from anything that we face. And yet, we often choose to focus more on the problem at hand than Your ability to overcome it for us. Draw us close to You, through Your word, through worship, and through prayer, that we might have the right focus. Thank You for blessing us with faith and for forgiving us when we do not rely on it. In Jesus’ name we pray…AMEN.