Where are you looking?

 

While on vacation my wife and I were walking our dogs on the beach. A few minutes into our walk we switched dogs. She has been walking her dog, Pepper, every morning for quite a few years and as I was walking her dog all Pepper did was stare at her. I want to be like my wife’s dog and keep looking at the Master.

The first part of Hebrews 12:2 states, “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”  Our faith started in Jesus and it will be perfected and finished in Jesus, but it is the in between of those two points that we need to be careful where we are looking. I think at some point we all take our eyes off of Jesus and start placing our gaze upon the

things of this world and we may try to grab hold and enjoy everything this world has to offer. At times our focus is on what we have accumulated and that becomes a source of our attention. There are many situations in this life that want to pull us away from looking and trusting in Jesus.

When the Apostle Peter saw Jesus walking on the water, he wanted to be with his Master. Jesus told him to come and Peter was walking on the water until he took his gaze off of Jesus and placed his focus on the tumultuous waves. It was at that point he began to sink. Peter then cried out saying, “Lord, save me.” Jesus heard and immediately answered that prayer and stretched out His hand and grabbed Peter.

We can never forget that even when we take our eyes away from looking at Jesus, He is always looking at us and will stretch out His hand to save us just like He did with Peter. Psalm 33:18 says, “Behold, they eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy.”  Psalm 34:15 says, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. What a gracious God we have who continues to look upon us even when we have temporarily  turned our eyes away from Him.

 

Pastor Marty