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Fix Your Eyes on Jesus

"Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him."

Matthew 14:29-31

Life is not easy. You are probably facing at least one significant challenge in your life right now. You may be facing problems right now in the areas of health, finances, work, school, or relationships. You may be facing chaos brought on by spiritual warfare or mistakes of your past. You are not alone. Jesus once told his disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus does not always eliminate the storms of life, but he does offer us a different way of facing them.

Following the miraculous feeding of the 5,000, Jesus immediately made the disciples get in a boat and head out across the Sea of Galilee. It had been a long day, and they were exhausted, but as they headed out into the miles of open water, they faced an even greater challenge than hunger and exhaustion. The same story is told with different details included in three of the four gospels. (Matthew, Mark, and John) The scene recounted would have encompassed hours of time, but as we read it, the account only lasts a few minutes. Each author has included certain details of the story in their Gospel for a reason.

In the Gospel of Matthew, the scene is painted with details that bring feelings of fear, uncertainty, danger, and isolation. We read that the boat was “a considerable distance from land” and “buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it” (Matthew 14:24).

Buffeted may be a word you are not familiar with. It may remind you of an all-you-can-eat buffet, but this word has no connection to a wonderful salad bar! The Greek word being translated here as “buffeted” is basanizó, which can literally mean “a tormenting trial - as by torture.” The words of Matthew are so brief when it comes to this story that we could read right over the torturous, tormenting trial facing the disciples. They were exhausted, scared, and experiencing torturous pain as they strained at the oars.

Can you identify with the emotions they were feeling?

Are you currently facing any trials in your life that are torturous and tormenting?

You are not alone.

Interestingly, Jesus had been praying on one of the mountains above the lake throughout their trial. The disciples surely could not have seen Jesus from their perspective, but he most certainly could see them. Their eyes were fixed on the trial, but his eyes were fixed on them.

“Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost, they said, and cried out in fear” (Matthew 14:25-26).

As Jesus came walking on the water, the disciples thought they were seeing a ghost. Don’t judge them too quickly! If you looked out the window of an airplane at 30,000 feet and saw Jesus walking alongside you, how would you react? I would probably grab the oxygen mask!

At this point in the story, something shifted in Peter. He began to really “fix his eyes” on Jesus. He began to block out the torturous waves and the unrelenting wind. His faith began to grow as he realized that the eyes of Jesus were fixed on them.

"Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus."

(Matthew 14:28-29)

When Peter looked intently at Jesus, his faith grew exponentially. His request from Jesus was not a natural request. Peter’s words, “Tell me to come to you,” were a request for a miracle. His experience with Jesus was not a natural experience. Walking on water is a miracle. When Peter fixed his eyes on Jesus, he experienced the supernatural power of God at work in his life.

Reflection:

When you face the torturous and tormenting challenges of life, do you most often focus on the trial or on Jesus?