Friday, August 22, 2014

What ya looking at? Pt.2


In a recent commercial a statement is made that the human eye can see the light of a single candle from a distance of 10 correction MILES. That is over 52,800 feet. I made it too short last week!
Last week I shared with you the story of Peter walking on the water and doing fine as long as he looked at Jesus. But when he looked at the wind and the waves he began to sink. When he cried out to the Lord Jesus reached out and caught him. In the mini-series The Bible shown last year on the History Channel. The visual is of Peter going underwater sinking and a hand thrusts through the surface grabbing him pulling him into the boat. I like that visual. It gives me hope!
I made this article part two because I want to connect an application from the present. At Crossroads Church during our weekly worship service we ask folks to share how they saw God at work in their lives that week. It’s open mike time which is pretty dangerous because you never know what you will get. You just don’t know what people will say. In recent weeks a lady spoke up to share she had been diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer and at that time was undergoing further tests to determine the extent on the disease. I told you, you never know. She told of her fear. She thanked God for her family and others and then shared her experience with an MRI.
The MRI required her to have her arms stretched out. She said she has trouble with confined spaces and loud noises. Yep, an MRI is a perfect storm for that. She told of her fear and then said Jesus, if you can bear the cross I can bear this. She calmed down for about half of the test cycle. Then she started to look at her surroundings and situation and had to grin and bear the rest of the time. Do you see the similarity to Peter?
It took me a day or so and time on the lawn mower to put that together. I may be slow but I get it eventually. Has that been your story? Is that your story now? If we are honest we have to answer yes to both questions. It is so very easy to look at our situation and surroundings and believe that is our reality thereby succumbing to our worry and fear once again. The saddest thing is “once again” I have done that time and time and time again. You would think I’d learn. What is also true, it’s easy to read those stories in the Bible and shake our head at the foolishness of their lack of faith and will. It’s not so easy to see the same foolishness and lack of faith in our own lives and our own actions. Yet God, that is such a comforting phrase, puts up with our weak faith and short attention span time and time and time again reaching in and rescuing us from ourselves yet once again.
Rend Collective Experiment has a song on the air My Lighthouse our worship band is rehearsing this. I love the concept of Jesus being certain, strong and firm like a lighthouse. When lost in the wilderness or the open see the task is to fix your sight on a stationary object and head towards that object. Your focus on that object keeps you from going in circles. A light house warns of danger rocks maybe and yet shouts of safety a safe harbour. That song I mentioned has a line in the chorus to take to heart when we feel lost:
“My Lighthouse, My Lighthouse, I will trust the promise, You will carry me safe to shore”
That’s my Jesus!
Next time you are lost consider Who ya looking’ at?
      
In HIS Service and Yours,
Bro G

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