September 1, 2024 Devo

September 1st, 2024

“It’s All About Jesus!”
Jesus Walks on the Water (Matthew 14)
“So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink.” – Matthew 14:29-30 (NLT)
“What You See Is What You Get!”

It’s a simple, but profound truth we often forget. “What you see, is what you get!” Our passage today is a profound example of it. When Peter saw Jesus on the water, he was so in awe that he asked Jesus to let him join him. And Jesus said, “Come!” So Peter started over the side of the boat and began to do the impossible: He walked on the water!
But after just taking a few steps toward the Master, Peter made the mistake so many of us make. He took his eyes off Jesus and started focusing on his surroundings. He focused on the wind. He focused on the waves. He focused on the fact that there was NO WAY he should be doing what he was doing. Faith fled, and doubt flooded in. And Peter lived up to his namesake and sank like a rock.
Tell me what you’re focused on today and I can tell you what’s going on with you. If you’re focused on your problems, your obstacles, or your difficult circumstances, my guess is you’re overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed. If you’re focused on how someone has hurt you or said something bad about you, you’re probably angry, upset, or resentful. If you’re focused on your inadequacies, your shortcomings, or your failures, you’re most likely ready to throw in the towel and quit whatever it is you’ve been trying to do. Take your eyes off Jesus and focus on the wind and waves and you will start to sink every time. You’ll sink into fear. You’ll sink into your doubts. You’ll sink into despair, depression, and defeat. Because what gets your eyes gets YOU!
Look to Jesus. He is your Healer. He is your Deliverer. He is your Strength. Focus on who He is. Focus on what He has done. Focus on His Power, His Glory, and His Awesome Presence. Focus on His Love for you. Focus on His Compassion. Focus on His Grace. He is Lord over your wind. He is Lord over your waves. He is Lord over whatever circumstances you are in today. So don’t focus on THEM. Focus on HIM. You can walk on water, or you can sink like a rock. It’s up to you. What you see is what you get! That’s God’s Word for you today.