The Worship Project Devotional SeriesSample

We Turn Our Eyes (You Speak to My Fear)

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)

Our field of vision determines what we see. That may seem elementary, but it’s a good metaphor for life. The thing we fix our eyes on determines our perspective.

When we fix our eyes on fear, we get scared.

When we fix our eyes on our circumstance, it threatens to overwhelm us.

When we fix our eyes on our past, we limit our future.

But when we fix our eyes on God, our perspective changes, doesn’t it? 

Peter experienced this firsthand. He desperately wanted to show Jesus that he believed He was who He said He was. Peter, however, was known for recklessly taking action before thinking things through.

So one day, he and the other disciples are out in a boat and a storm starts brewing. The disciples fear their boat might capsize when they see a ghostly figure walking toward them on the water. They are utterly terrified until they hear the voice of the apparition and recognize it as the voice of Jesus.

But Peter, being Peter, had to take it a step further. He asks Jesus to allow Him to walk on water if it’s really Him (Matthew 14:28). Jesus motions for him to step out of the boat.

At first, everything appears to be fine, and Peter’s feet miraculously tread over the waves like he’s walking on flat asphalt. Then, he takes his eyes off Jesus and turns his eyes to the wind and the waves. “Lord, save me!” he cries out as he begins to sink (Matthew 14:30).

The Lord reaches out and breaks his fall. Then He asks Peter, “You of little faith. Why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31)

Did you catch that? When Peter took his eyes off Jesus, that’s when his perspective changed. Suddenly, the storm became bigger than His Savior.

If we fix our eyes on Jesus, He will speak to the storm around us. 

You speak to my fear / You say peace be still in me / When chaos surrounds me / Your love is abounding

Where is your gaze fixed? Let’s turn our eyes to Jesus this week and let Him speak peace over our lives.