What ya looking at?

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 football fields. That is over a 1000 yards or 3000 feet. I think that number and capability are impressive. Of course I cannot find my keys at 3 feet. Maybe if I lit a candle next to them I could find them. To see the light of that candle we would concentrate our focus on any source of light in the distance. We would block out distractions around us and direct all of our attention to “seeing” that light. That is not what I do when looking for my keys.

When looking for my keys or anything I usually have a picture of them in my heard and compare what I see to my mental image. It helps me sort all of the visual images to find my keys. That is great if my mental image is the same as the actual image of my keys. That’s not so great if my minds’ eye is off. I may look right past the keys because they don’t fit my picture of how the keys should look. I resort to this technique when I am overwhelmed by what is right around me.

That’s usually what gets us, what we see around us. When we start looking close to us we can’t see the “forest for the trees” can we? I am all too familiar with this. There is an account where the disciples were in a boat on the water. The wind and waves had kicked up and these were experienced fishermen. I think the weather had them on edge. Jesus came to them on the lake (walking on the water) and when they saw him they were “terrified” saying ‘“It’s a ghost’ and cried out in fear.” (Matt. 14:26 HCSB). I suggest they were already afraid and this “ghost” in their eyes made the fear grow. Knowing this Jesus speaks to them and their fears are eased.  Peter asks Jesus to prove his identity by allowing Peter to walk on the water. Why would anyone want to get out of a perfectly good boat in windy seas? I got out of a perfectly good airplane one time, yes, it was GREAT. Peter got out and walked on the water. He was focused on Jesus down range. But, he looked away at the wind, became afraid and started to sink. That’s how it happens to us when we look around up close. We sink in our fear, worry, frustration and unbelief. As Jesus asked Peter “why did you doubt?” That’s what fear, worry and frustration are lack of faith, doubt.

At the same moment while Peter is doubting the most, he is sinking, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. I like to think by the collar of his coat and lifted him soaking wet into the boat to sit and reflect. That’s what Jesus does when we are sinking. I imagine Peter felt pretty small because of his unbelief. The story goes on to say “they worshipped him.” The others believed. I think Peter did too even when he was wet with failure. Max Lucado suggests this is the first time the disciples worshipped him. Why? Because this is the first time they needed to be rescued.

When we are anxious, fearful, worried, and doubting our faith has waned. We need to refocus our eyes on Jesus. Call out to him and set out attention to his hand as he rescues us from ourselves. The old hymn is true:

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.

Who ya looking’ at?

That is the question!                   

In HIS Service and Yours,

Bro G