Keeping Our Eyes on Him

Yesterday, while my boys were outside playing, a little girl, maybe 4 years old, came walking onto our cul-de-sac.  When asked what she was doing, she replied “I am going to the pool”.  They proceeded to explain to her that the pool isn’t open yet, but she insisted she was going to the pool because it was hot outside.  They also told her the pool wasn’t on our street and at that point, she turned around and started walking off.  Drew asked her where she was going now and she told him, “I am going to the pool another way”.  He was very concerned for her and told the others he thought someone should try to walk with her and get her home.  He, out of respect for her parents, didn’t want to take her by himself.  He felt it would alarm them even more if they saw her with him.  So one of the young teenage girls said she would and off they went.  Several minutes went by and Bailey, the teenage girl, returned.  By this time, I was out there checking on the boys and  asked if she had gotten her home.  She said she had, the little girl knew exactly how to get to her house, which was on the next street over.  She said her mom was frantically looking for her and that she had apparently climbed over the fence in the few seconds she had taken her eyes off her.  Thankfully, this situation turned out good and the little girl was returned to her worried mom.

I can only imagine how that mom felt.  I know how my heart has jumped into my throat when I only thought one of my kids was missing.  Like when you are walking through the mall or any busy area and you look and initially don’t see one of them and your heart starts to pound before you realize they are right beside you (surely that has happened to someone besides me).  

This morning I was thinking about those feelings and that mom and I started to think this must be how Christ feels when we take our eyes off him, even for a minute.  I know it is kind of reversed because He never takes his eyes off us, but He must be so saddened when we do, knowing that it is the first step of us getting lost.  We can be so easily distracted by life and the things we want to do and lose sight of Him for a minute, sometimes not even realizing we have done it until later.

A perfect example would be when Peter took his eye off Jesus for a split second - 

Come," Jesus 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!"  Matt. 14:29-30

My prayer today - Lord, thank you so much for loving me and never taking your eyes off me.  Thank you for my boys who have a heart for people and their feelings and who made sure that little girl got home safely.  Thank you for keeping me focused on you no matter what distractions life throws in my way, and thank you that through this blog, I may be a vessel for you.

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Heb. 12:2

Hope you are having a wonderful Tuesday!

Counting it all Joy!

Angel