Fearless - Day 22

“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.  30 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. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:28-31

Focus is a very powerful thing.

At the invitation of Jesus, Peter left the safety of a boat in a storm and walked on water! It wasn’t Peter’s determination that held Him above the waves; it was the power of Jesus, who called him out of the boat. It’s here that we discover the extraordinary importance of focus! In spite of the fact that he had actually walked on water, when Peter turned his attention from Jesus to the conditions around him, he became afraid and began to sink. (Hey, give him a break…he got out of a boat and walked on water!)

This is why 1 Thessalonians 5:17 instructs us to “pray continually.” When we pray, our focus is on Jesus; and we find ourselves operating in a different power. Things that might otherwise cause us to sink become the platform for our greatest victories! When Peter did falter he cried out to the Lord (prayed) and discovered that he’d been safe the entire time because he was with Jesus.

What if, for you and I, that kind of fearlessness is only a prayer away?

For Reflection: Has the Lord ever invited you to “get out of the boat?” Did you do it? Why, or why not? Pray about some of your current “rough waters” and see if they look different after time spent with Jesus.

Lord, help me to focus on You! Sometimes spiritual things seem less “real” than the material circumstances around me. As I trust You and see your faithfulness, my faith becomes sight. Teach me to pray continually, so I always remember that You are God and my circumstances are not!