Keep Your Eyes on Jesus

If you watched the Masters yesterday, you saw something special. Rory McIlroy won his second green jacket and went back to back at Augusta National. Incredible stuff. But what stuck with me wasn't the trophy, it was watching him almost give it away. Because every time Rory started thinking about the tournament, the trophy, the history, you could see it on his face. He'd lose a shot. Maybe two. The second he got his head out of the moment and into the outcome, the wheels started to wobble. It wasn't until he locked back in, one shot at a time, eyes on the job, that he got himself across the finish line.

And the whole time I'm watching, all I could think about was Peter.

You remember the story. Matthew 14:29-30. Jesus is walking on the water in the middle of a storm, and Peter, of all people, says, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water." And Jesus says come. So Peter steps out of the boat, and for a minute, he is doing the impossible. He is walking on water. But then verse 30 hits, "But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'"

Read that again. He saw the wind. The wind hadn't changed. The storm was the same storm it was a minute ago when he was walking just fine. The only thing that changed was where Peter was looking. He took his eyes off Jesus and put them on his circumstances, and the second he did, he started to sink.

That'll preach, y'all. Because that is exactly how it works in our lives too. When we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can do things we have no business being able to do. We can forgive people who hurt us. We can keep going when we want to quit. We can have peace in the middle of a mess that should have us coming unglued. But the second we start staring at the wind, the bills, the diagnosis, the marriage, the kid, the job, whatever your storm is, we start to sink just like Peter did.

Here's the good news though. Look at verse 31. "Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him." Immediately. Not after a lecture. Not after Peter promised to do better next time. The second Peter cried out, Jesus grabbed him. That is the Jesus we serve. He doesn't wait for you to get it together before He reaches for you. He reaches the moment you call.

So whatever you're walking through this week, take a lesson from Rory and from Peter. Quit staring at the wind. Quit thinking about the outcome. Just keep your eyes on Jesus and take the next step. He'll handle the rest.

Be Nice. Grace Wins.

FMJ