“Focus your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:2 TLV
It has been a whirlwind of a week. I’m not sure if you can relate? While those in Florida are recovering from another hurricane, we sat here in beautiful sunny, warm temperatures. While some have lost homes, our farmers are gathering up crops for harvest. While some countries are in or on the verge of war, we are living fairly business as usual…
See my home isn’t much different than this most days. Take any day and one of us has a storm raging inside while the others are calm. Another day two of us can be working hard on whatever we have been called to do that day while another isn’t motivated to work or has an obstacle in his/her path. So many times I have found myself begging for all of us to be on the same page on the same day. Take that to the world, why can’t we all just get on the same page for one day…
But God…
He has been reminding me the importance and value of focus. Not on the daily, weekly, or worldly storms but on Him. It is the same lesson He taught Peter and the disciples in the boat on that stormy day. Jesus had been alone praying, processing the day, and He sent the disciples off in the boat to go ahead of Him. As the wind picked up and the boat was being tossed, Jesus appeared to them walking on the water.
“It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.” But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Matthew 14: 26-27
Peter got extra bold and in faith said, “Lord, if it’s you…” “Tell me to come to you on the water.” Matthew 14:28
Jesus responded with “Come” Matthew 14:29
I have replayed that moment in my head many times asking God if I would climb from the boat, step into the water and make my way to Jesus or would I sink? While I have never been in a boat during a storm with Jesus walking to me on the water, God has found a way to bring this story to life for me many times. It has a lot less to do with water and a lot more to do with faith; the water just adds a “wow” factor.
One day several years ago, I was standing barefoot in my kitchen after mopping it. I stopped to look out the window, feet wet, considering the move my children and I were about to make to a new town after making a transition to homeschooling. That day I heard God whisper, “Julie, you’re walking on water.”
It came again, one day just a couple years ago, I was taking a walk through some tall, dewy grasses, my shoes became so saturated with water that you could hear them squeak with every step. Again, I found myself considering the circumstances of a difficult situation I was going through. The squishy, squeak of my shoes led me to say out loud, “What’s with the squeaky shoes?” To which I heard the whisper again, “Julie, you’re walking on water.”
What I have realized is God invites us out of the “boat” to walk on water every time we step in faith. Peter had the advantage of Jesus’ physical body manifestation being right in front of him, and while I’m not sure about you, I would love Jesus camping out in my house telling me exactly what to do, but we have the stories, the evidence, and the Holy Spirit right with us, we just need to focus on Jesus. Feel special because He told us…
“… whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12
We have the potential to do things as amazing as walking on water and beyond! Not only this, He is grateful when we do.
“… blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:28
This week as I took my walk, my shoes were not squeaky with water; there was no water even in sight. The sky was clear blue with not a storm on the horizon, but I stopped and closed my eyes and could envision a storm around me of life circumstances, situations, responsibilities, conflicts and in the middle of it was Jesus. He stood firm, still, stable. This time I heard the whisper:
“Julie, keep your eyes on me. Focus.”
And as I finished that walk, I stood a little taller, walked with a little more pep, and breathed a little easier realizing there are no “storms” that can come where Jesus isn’t in the center of them inviting us to have faith and let Him lead us through and out to the other side. Just close your eyes, envision His face, He is with us.
Father, help us to focus on things above and not things of this earth. It is so difficult to do that with all of the things distracting us, pulling at us, asked of us. Help us to flow with the waves and not resist them. Help us to hear you, see you, and feel you in all that we do so that we can get precise instructions when we need them. Thank you for being available to us and sending Jesus to show us what faith looks like and prove we can trust you. Let us feel your presence more than ever today. Amen.
Love, Julie
P.S. Today’s image was a time I truly had to focus. It was just after my Sam was born. I not only had to focus during labor and delivery, (breathing “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength with every breath”) but this time around I had two children. God grabbed me by the shoulders and taught me how to let go and focus on Him instead of all that I thought I should be.
Father, Today I Surrender:
My Focus
Show me the next step I should take.