“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!’”
(Matthew 14:25-30 NIV)
The Oxford Dictionary defines focus as “the center of interest or activity.” Whatever you focus your attention on is what will dominate and drive your thoughts. The moment you are distracted, your focus shifts.
In the scripture above, the disciples of Jesus saw Him walking on the lake at dawn and they were very terrified. They could not imagine for a moment that Jesus could actually walk upon the sea. To them, walking upon the sea was an outright impossibility and so the best fit description of Jesus was to be referred to as a ghost. And with that, they cried out in fear.
But upon hearing the voice of Jesus as the One walking upon the sea, Peter decided to cure his curiosity by asking Jesus: “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” He could not imagine for a moment that Jesus can walk upon the sea. At the command of Jesus; “Come,” Peter started doing the unthinkable. Peter, just by the command of Jesus sets out to walk upon the sea. Wow! That is fascinating. Finally, what Jesus alone could do, just by obeying the command of Jesus, Peter also walked upon the sea. Anytime we obey the voice of Jesus and take a bold step forward, we experience great and mighty miracles flowing into our lives. It does not take much but just by obeying Him!
Now upon setting out to walk upon the sea, Peter saw Jesus as his powerhouse. He trusted Jesus to the extent that just by hearing His voice, he can rightly obey Jesus’s command. But sooner or later, the focus on Jesus changed. When he looked at the waves, his intentions changed, his focus changed and his interest shifted. He was engulfed by a great fear and terror. Then Peter begun to sink…. Then he cried out: “Lord, save me!”
Brothers and sisters, let me leave you here to ponder over this piece as we start this new journey of changing focus. It is my prayer that our relationship with Jesus will be strengthen by the end of this new journey. Remember this, if we lose our focus, we have given the enemy an enormous advantage over us. If we lose focus, then we go negative by speaking doubt and unbelief.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8 NIV
Kofi Twumasi Ankra
Answers2Prayer Volunteer