When the Lord makes a point to me, He often stresses it several different times. He knows I am stubborn and it takes a minute to sink in. In my first devotional of 2018 in Unshakeable by Christine Caine, the verse was “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you” Proverbs 4:25. Caine says we must stay “laser focused. He wants us to stay the course, and where we focus is where we will go.” Focus.
Secondly, in Max Lucado’s book, Anxious for Nothing, I was reminded about the story of Peter. Yes, Peter left the boat and walked on water despite a storm raging around him….heavy waves and strong winds. As Lucado says. “As long as Peter focused on the face of Christ, he did the impossible.” He goes on to say, “Do not meditate on the mess. You gain nothing by setting your eyes on the problem. You gain everything by setting your eyes on the Lord. ” Hmmm…there it is again… Focus. But, I still failed to recognize it.
Then, still struggling for some direction for the new year, I prayed, “Lord, I need a word from you.” Obviously, forgetting what He had already told me two times. I opened my Bible app and got this verse:
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun!
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
Isaiah 43:19
What do we know about pathways? We must fix our focus straight ahead not to get lost in the wilderness. Our focus must be fixed on Jesus so as not to sink in the sea. We must fix our eyes from being distracted. We don’t need to look to the right or to the left. The scripture said, “Do you not see it?” To see, we must FOCUS! Guess, the third time’s a charm for me. That is God’s word for me this year. FOCUS.
Before Peter got out of the boat, Jesus walked out to the disciples, and said these words:
“Don’t be afraid,
Take courage.
I am here!”
Matthew 14:27
When we keep our eyes fixed, FOCUSED, on Jesus, we can trust and not be afraid. He will give us courage and strength. He is Immanuel, God with us. Right here, right now, in this new year.