Fix Your Eyes

part 1 of “Eyes Up”

“[looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith....” - Hebrews 12:2a AMP

Have you ever lost focus?

Maybe it was a task you were working on and one of your kids (or spouse) comes into the room or called out to you from another place in the house causing you to turn your attention from what you were doing to them. Then you look back at your task and have to remember where you were or what exactly you have done. Did I add salt to this? Did I put in the sugar for the cookies? How many cups of flour did I put in the mixing bowl already? You get the idea. Have you been there?

There are times in life when we can be the same way. We are going along in life - our day to day activities - our gaze is laser-focused on Jesus. Then all of a sudden something happens in our life that seemingly comes out of nowhere and takes our focus off of Jesus. We begin then to fall into the storm of what is now happening in our life. We lost in the “what-ifs” and the “why God” and the “how could you” and we being too slowly sink into the storm that had now taken our gaze. Have you been there?

I am reminded of a story in the book Matthew that illustrates this very well.

“Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 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.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“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. 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?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”” - Matthew 14:22-33 NIV

All the devil needs is an instant. Just one second to alter your gaze. He knows what to bring to the front of your mind. He knows your weaknesses. He knows how to take you out of the game and he will try everything he can to get you to focus on the storm or weakness - so you won’t see the remedy - JESUS!

I want to take a look at a small section of Paul’s life and I hope that it helps you find your focus and fix your eyes. Paul’s name was not always Paul, and he was also not always the most popular guy. When we first see Paul in the book of Acts his name is Saul, and he hates the Christian people. Saul is heading to Damascus where he has permission to arrest and bring followers of Jesus back and torture and kill them. But on the way, a bright light blinded him and he was carried to Damascus where he meets Ananias who restores his sight. Saul then immediately starts preaching and proclaiming the good news of Jesus (Acts 9:20). But the people did not buy into his change of heart so quickly. So the people started to run him out of town after town. Then something happens and Paul finds himself in jail. [1]

Paul and Silas are now in Philippi on their way to a place of prayer. They are being followed by a female slave who can predict the future. She was telling all of the people what Paul and Silas were doing. Finally, Paul grows annoyed with her and tells the spirit to leave her. When the owners of the female slave find this out and that they can no longer use her to make money, they have Paul and Silas seized, beaten, and thrown in jail inside an inner cell. [1]

Despite that, what do we see Paul and Silas doing? They are praising God amid their trouble.

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them." (Acts 16:25, NIV)

Even after all that Paul and Silas had been through, they chose to praise Jesus. They were at the lowest they could have been, and they still praised Jesus. They were locked in an inner cell, chained and fastened in stocks, but they still praised Jesus. Not only were they praising Jesus, but the other prisoners were also listening to them (I mean, they were praising Jesus in jail, they were going to get attention.) [1]

It’s all about your FOCUS in the situation.

A friend helped me bring the below picture to life. It was not exactly what I had in mind. I had pictured it differently but it insisted that we do it this way. So we did and it turned out to be better than what I had in my mind. I used the picture in a lesson that I taught a couple of years ago and I had this to say to the 4th and 5th graders I was teaching.

I asked the students what they saw when they looked at this poster board and at all three services I got the same answer. Do you know what it was? Well, before I tell you, what do you see in the picture above? The students answered at all three services with the word…. CHOAS! (And yes, they did shout!!)

Then I asked them another question; what do you see in the middle? Now that is an easy question and they answered… JESUS!! (And yes, they shouted again!)

Then I told them that Jesus is with them in the middle of our chaos. When we feel like life is out of control, and we are being beaten by the waves of life, Jesus is right there in chaos with us. I don’t know how you are feeling at this current moment as you read this. But whatever you might be going through, Jesus is there with you. Jesus will take you through the chaos to the other side, and you will be stronger.

And as I said, it’s about focus and knowing where to get the help that we need and Who helps us. Fix your eyes!

“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

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[1] Reference the Book of Acts