Life can get stormy. Life is stormy. It’s always one thing or another. It seems like every day there’s something new to worry about, something we never thought we would see or hear about. It’s easy to focus on the problems in the world at large, and in our own countries, homes and families. Life is just full of trouble. A friend and I were talking about this. Just like Peter, she has to keep telling herself “Don’t look down. Keep your eyes on Jesus.”
I was reminded of the song “Turn your eyes upon Jesus”. I had just finished a Bible study “Then Sings my Soul” by Robert Morgan, 52 lessons on the stories behind some of the great hymns and music of the faith.
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus” was written by Helen Howarth Lemmel, who ended up losing her sight. Because of this her husband left her. Yet, she encouraged the weary and troubled soul, who could see no light in the darkness they were facing, to “turn their eyes upon Jesus—and to look full in his wonderful face”. When we do this, it shifts our perspective from the problem and troubles, to the one who is the master of the wind and waves in all stormy situations.
We serve a God who is able. Think about some of the passages in the Bible that talk about God and his ability to do anything.
II Timothy 1:12b, “for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto him against that day.”
Ephesians 3:20, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”
II Cor. 9:8, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”
Jude 24, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.”
Hebrews 2:18, “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.”
Hebrews 7:25, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
When the storms of life come your way, turn your spiritual eyes, your thoughts to Jesus, to the God who is able to keep you, deliver you, save you and help you. When you do, “the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace”.