DAY 4: Thursday, April 16
Fix Your Eyes on Jesus
“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8 (Written by King David)
The other night my 12-year-old daughter sat next to me for a few minutes before heading to bed. We try to end each day with a hug, a prayer, and an “I love you”.
On this particular night I asked her, “How are you doing? How are you feeling today?” Unsurprisingly, I got a few complaints about this season of social distancing and staying at home. I believe the phrases “I’m bored” and “this is getting old” were said. I paused for a few seconds and my reply to her was simple: “Even on your hardest day, try to see the positive in it. In so much of life, what we focus on determines what we experience.”
One thing I admire about King David is that, in his every circumstance, he turned his focus to God. He knew that no matter what life brought his way, if God was with him, he could stand firm.
Let’s ask ourselves a simple question: “Where is my focus right now?” What might it look like for us to “keep our eyes always on the Lord” today? When we fix our eyes on Jesus, I’m confident we’ll find a Savior who wants to be near to us, who wants to speak to us, and who, in the midst of it all, says “I love you…you’re going to be ok!”
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, would you help me to fix my eyes on you today? Please work in me to turn my attention toward you in all things. I put my hope and my confidence in you right now. Thank you for your faithfulness to me. God, I think of the many people who are so essential to meeting the needs of others in my community. Those who are working at grocery stores, making food, delivering things and all the cleaning crews; Lord please be near to them. Bless them, protect them, and encourage them today!
For Reflection:
- Here are some other passages that encourage us to “keep our eyes on the Lord”:
- In 1867 Hannah Whithall Smith wrote these words of advice which ring true for us today: “Whether in temptation or in service, if we cease from our own plan and our own activities, leaving the care and ordering of our work to Him, He will plan for us, work through us, and use us as His instruments to accomplish His own purposes of love and mercy. The responsibility will be His; we need only be obedient.
- ”Song to listen to today: Out of Hiding by Steffany Gretzinger
By Brad Bullock
Download the entire 30 Days of Prayer HERE.