Gaze vs. Glance

 I recently had an eye doctor appointment, which confirmed the sad truth that I no longer have perfect vision. I began to notice a problem when I had to sit and study for hours on end. All of that intense focus blurred my vision, and everything became an indistinguishable jumble, forcing me to stop and take a break.

How often don't we find ourselves so intent on studying our problems, that we lose focus of God?

 

I came across this statement in my devotions this morning and it really resonated with me:

"Gaze at God. Glance at problems."

 

As sinful humans, our natural tendency is to flip the two around. We have a nasty habit of gazing at our problems and occasionally glancing at God for help.

 

Gazing at our problems makes them appear daunting.
We become overwhelmed, worried, and fearful.

An example of this is seen through the figure of Peter walking on the water:
"So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, 'Lord save me.' Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?' And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.'"- Matthew 14: 29-33

Peter shifted his focus from Christ right beside him, to the storm that seemed to be closing in. He literally began to sink in his doubt. The same is true for us when we focus on the storms in our life's- we drown in worry.
 

But gazing at God makes Him appear larger.
We can be at peace knowing that our Lord is sovereign.

 

My favorite example of keeping our sights set on God is found in the story of Daniel and the Lion's Den:
Daniel 6:10 "[Daniel] got down on his knees... and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously."

Daniel 6: 21-23 "'My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king. I have done no harm.' Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God."

When we give thanks in a time of crisis, we reflect on God's previous faithfulness, setting us up to trust fully in Him. We can rest secure, because Jesus faced the ultimate lion's den for us. He went all the way to death so that like Daniel, we might be set free. Psalm 22: 13 relates Jesus' tortures to that of roaring lions:

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?... they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion."

 

Is your focus on the storms and lions in your life that are currently trying to consume you? Are you merely glancing at God for help when you need a hand? Or is your gaze set fixed on Him who has promised us in the words of Isaiah 26:3: "I keep Him in perfect peace whose focus is on Me."

 

{Don't lose focus of God}

 

 

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"

- Hebrews 12:2