Taking Our Eyes off the Rescuer

I have a very healthy (maybe even unhealthy) fear of heights. I believe it is why God let me inherit my dad’s genes of shortness (I am 5’3). And on occasion, my fear is put to the test. 

During a visit to my dad's and my home state of Oregon, we visited one of the many state parks with an observation tower looking over the Pacific Ocean. While the tower was not extremely high, if we are talking stories, maybe two stories high, however, the open stairs and height had my insides flopping and my panic mode on red alert. My mom, who had to take me by the hand, slowly guided me up to the top, even though I felt the wind was going to knock the tower down any second.

The key to getting me to the top (besides my mother pulling me up) was keeping my focus and sight out. Not looking down or even up, just looking straight out at the ocean. Once I reached the top, I was jelly-legged, and my insides felt like I had just climbed Mount Everest. But the view was worth it. Nothing but rocks and the ocean as far as the eye could see.

I kept my sight looking out at the gorgeous splendor of the Pacific Ocean, not at the height, just kept my gaze steady on the land of my heritage. It was only when I looked down that my insides began flipping again. The walk back down was way easier, and I was very thankful to be back on solid ground.

When we are faced with doing something beyond our comfort zone, terrifying, or even going through trials that test our bravery and endurance, we might put our mind on something comforting or familiar. Anything to bring us a measure of peace or even some faux bravery.

But those thoughts will not bring us lasting peace or courage. We need something stable and lasting to rescue us from fear. To rescue us from the trial. We need to put our full focus on the ultimate Rescuer.

In Matthew 14:22-33, we find the story of Peter, who tested his bravery and faith by walking on water in a thunderstorm with Jesus, and everything was going fine until he took his eyes off Jesus.

Before this event took place, Jesus had just performed a miracle of feeding 5,000 men (not including women and children) with just two fish and five loaves of bread.

And even before this, Jesus had been preaching and teaching hundreds of people, so after the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus wanted some time alone to pray.

22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.

Jesus, though God’s son, was still human. He got tired and needed some quiet time to pray and gather His thoughts. While Jesus was having His quiet time, His disciples sailed on the Sea of Galilee to the other side. The Sea of Galilee is approximately 64 square miles and is notorious for frequent and sudden storms. While the disciples were sailing, a storm arose, catching them by surprise.

24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.

The term fourth watch means it was between 3:00-6:00 am. It may have been dark, and with lightning flashing and waves crashing during the storm, Jesus was walking on the water out to the boat. This is just one of the many things that Jesus did that prove He can do anything. His power and abilities are unlimited.

The disciples then saw a man, a figure, walking on the water towards them. Their reaction would probably be the same as ours if we saw something similar.

26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.

Some of these men were fishermen; they had probably seen their fair share of weird things, encountered many storms, and they were well-seasoned men of the sea, but once they saw a figure walking towards them, they became very fearful.

27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

Between the storm's power, trying their best to keep the boat from sinking, and seeing what they thought was a ghost coming at them, being of good cheer was probably the last thing on their minds. They didn’t fully believe it was Jesus, and Peter, one of the disciples, wanted proof.

Though these men were Jesus’ disciples, some still had a hard time believing in Jesus and His teachings. Mark 6:52 says, “For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.” The disciples had much to learn about Jesus. 

28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

The simple word come, stands out to me. The wind and waves are crashing around, the boat is being tossed, probably a little sick, and you hear a voice that says, “Come,” meaning come to me, walk on the water, and come to me.

This is an invitation to all. Jesus invites all who have the faith to come out and walk to Him. Our boat is sinking in doubts, worries, and lies. And in the midst of swirling doubts and lies, we hear a voice that says, “Come.” Come to the Rescuer, who can and will rescue and deliver you from your worries, stresses, anxieties, and cares…if you have enough faith.

On faith, Peter got out of the boat and began walking on the water. At that point, Peter was so focused on Jesus, he didn’t see or feel the storm.

However, once he stepped out, somewhere between the boat and the storm, something took his focus off Jesus, and suddenly he began to sink.

30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

Here we have the perfect example of the consequences of taking our eyes off Christ.

Peter was perfectly fine until he took his focus off Jesus. He had tunnel vision on Jesus, but something caught his attention, and he realized where he was and what he was doing, and immediately he began to sink.

Isaiah 26:3

You [God] will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You.

This is one of my favorite verses for peace. Because it gives perfect instruction on how to have lasting peace, keeping our minds focused on Christ. If we put our full focus on Christ, by reading and memorizing His Word, and praying to Him daily, we will leave little room for the storm to get to us.

But once we take our focus off and become aware of the storm around us, the doubts and worries will take over, and we will begin to sink. Just like Peter. However, also like Peter, we can quickly cry out and be rescued.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

I’ve had the second part of this quoted to me many times. It is usually when I fail to have faith in certain situations. The definition of faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

That is what Jesus was saying to Peter. He was telling Peter that he lacked complete trust in Jesus. When someone tells us “O you of little faith”, they are basically saying “You are not trusting in Jesus fully”.

If someone were to ask you, Do you trust Jesus? Our answer would be yes! Of course, I trust Jesus. Really? Because a good portion of the time, we don’t. We trust and have full faith in Jesus when our circumstances are not difficult or trying, or when everything is going smoothly.

But once a storm hits or difficult situations arise, our faith level begins to drop. We begin to doubt, and soon our storm tosses us, and we panic.

We cannot have faith and still doubt. Those two cannot work hand in hand. We either have faith that Jesus is in control and will calm our storms, or we doubt that Jesus can handle it.

Jesus caught Peter, and then when Jesus got into the boat, the storm stopped.

³² And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

³³ Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Trials can mimic storms; worry swirls around us, and confusion is tossed in, causing turmoil, which causes a storm of anxiety. We try to bail out our worries on our own, but it doesn’t help.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, we hear a calm voice that says, “Come.” An invitation of peace and assurance, an opportunity to let go of all our worries, fears, confusion, and anxieties, and give it all over to Jesus.

All we have to do is look straight at Jesus with the same tunnel vision Peter had, walk to Jesus, and He will calm our storm. Do we have enough faith to step out of the boat and walk toward the One who can give peace and calm our storm, or do we sink?

So often, we feel like we have to carry our burden and worry alone, but we don’t have to. 1 Peter 5:7 says to cast all our cares upon the Lord. The word cast means to throw upon or place upon.

We are to place all our trials and storms upon

Jesus, and put our full focus on Him

When we put our full focus on Jesus, our Rescuer, we don’t look around us, we pay no heed to the storm, we just look ahead, and when we do that, everything around us will grow strangely dim, and we will have a great calm.