Jesus Only: Part TwoSýnishorn

Week 6, Day 4 - Wednesday

Several years ago, I was traveling in the UK with a group of people. As we were crossing the Irish Sea on a large enclosed ferry from Ireland to Wales, the weather took a nasty turn. The ship began to roll side to side from the large waves. There were footprints on the walls from people walking on them when the wall became the floor in a large roll, and many suffered from seasickness.  

As I tried to find a way to settle my own stomach, I noticed the oldest member of our group sitting calmly at a counter in the front of the ferry. I sat down beside Dick, an 83-year-old Navy veteran from World War II, and asked how to fight the seasickness the waves were causing. He just looked forward and said, “You focus on the horizon. It doesn’t move.”  I tried to follow his directions but to me, the horizon was going up and down just like everything else. He encouraged me to focus all my attention just on the horizon. Before long, I realized I wasn’t so aware of the moving ferry when I kept my eyes only on the horizon. My stomach began to calm, and I even got to the point where I could look away from the horizon for a while. Then as I started to feel uneasy, I’d look back to it and get my bearings again. 

In this world, we all hit times when we feel everything is moving and rolling out of our control. Sometimes we even feel sick over the constant feeling of instability. But, Paul reminds us to focus on what never changes or moves, THINGS ABOVE like: God’s grace and His forgiveness, our security in Him and the fact that He will never leave us or forsake us, the fact that God knows and sees all we face and He has a plan for our lives, the knowledge that Jesus died for us because He loves us and we are adopted in to the family of God because of Him, that we are dearly loved by God and are His treasure. Sometimes the waves of life seem so high, it takes major effort to keep our focus on these things, but it pays off as we weather the most current storm secure in Him.

Reflection Question(s)

What things seem to be rocking your own feelings of stability today?

What specific things may God be asking you to remove from your field of vision in order to focus on Him?

Prayer

Jesus, You are the one who calmed the sea, who made a way where there was no way. I belong to You, I’m loved by You, and Your power is at work in me. Keep my eyes focused clearly on You and bring me through the storms of life.