Focus on Jesus
Scripture Reading — Matthew 14:22-32
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith …
Hebrews 12:2
My neighbor has tunnel vision, which means he can see things in front of him but not to either side. It’s always nice to see his wife holding tightly to his hand as they walk through the neighborhood.
In today’s passage, Peter was eager and brave enough to ask Jesus to let him walk on water. As Jesus approached the disciples’ boat and gave Peter permission to join him, Peter did start walking on water. “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ?Lord, save me!’”
As he walked out on the water, Peter’s trust wavered, and he started looking around in doubt. As his eyes caught sight of the wind and the stormy waves around him, Peter became afraid.
If he could have focused his eyes only on Jesus, Peter would not have been afraid, for Jesus can calm any storm. In a sense, Peter needed tunnel vision so that he wouldn’t be distracted from focusing on Jesus.
Are you in the midst of storms in your life? Are you possibly so depressed that you would not even approach Jesus? Then you should ask for his help and
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.
O God, forgive us for our doubts. In the midst of all our troubles and difficulties, help us to remember that you are always in control and that you always care. In Jesus, Amen.
About the author — Jimmy Tai-On Lin
Rev. Jimmy Lin is the Chinese ministry leader of The Back to God Hour. With his staff in Palos Heights and Hong Kong, Rev. Lin has ministered to over 1.3 billion Chinese-speaking people around the world for 16 years through radio, literature, CD/DVD, Internet, and text message. His wife, Doris, is one of the translators of Today into the Chinese language, which now has a circulation of more than 45,000 copies.
Start your day with quick daily devotions.
See God's love, power, presence, and purpose in your life every day!