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Fix Your Eyes Upon Jesus

by Peter Stone  
9/30/2008 / Devotionals

Startled by my footsteps, the wild duck and her ten ducklings fled down the grassy bank to dive into the gurgling stream fed by the Steavenson River in Marysville. Within their element, they ceased their flight and took care not to stray far from the streams bank, where the water was shallow and the current slow.

Yet two of the tiny ducklings strayed from their mother and ventured towards the centre of the stream. My heart leapt to my throat in dismay as the stronger current tore them from their family and propelled them ruthlessly downstream. Watching over the remaining eight ducklings, the mother seemed oblivious to the hapless pairs' fate. I stood there, aghast, afflicted by feelings of despair and helplessness as the current continued to sweep the ducklings away. Their valiant attempt to paddle upstream back to their mother was futile.

Is this how little ones such as these are lost? Divorced from their parent's comforting protection, forcibly separated from the loving fellowship of their siblings? Soon they would perish, all alone, in a world suddenly devoid of love.

Memories long buried bobbed to the surface of the waters of my mind. Nineteen years ago, I had been in that very same predicament. Doubt, fear and terror raged unchecked through me, sweeping me far from the knowledge of God's soothing presence. Anxiety and endless panic attacks became a torrential river from which there was no escape. I fought it with all my strength, but like those ducklings, I lacked the power to swim upstream back to the comforting arms of Jesus. My world turned blackdespair became my constant companion.

Drawn back to the present by sudden movement, I was surprised to see the mother duck leave behind the other eight ducklings as she launched herself into the fast flowing stream. Paddling furiously towards her errant youngsters, she soon caught up with them. With practised care she guided them away from the middle of the stream and into a small dam formed by rocks and a fallen branch. Safe now, the two ducklings snuggled against herrelieved that she had seen their plight and rescued them.

Casting my mind back, I recalled how Jesus had also come after me when I had been swept into that desolate, black place of depression and hopelessness. "I will never leave you nor forsake you," He assured me through His Word. With loving patience, His Word, and practical advice through a book that He dropped onto my lap, 'Self Help for Your Nerves' by Dr. Claire Weekes, He lead me down the road to recovery, and soon restored me to the knowledge of His presence.

Returning to the present, I saw that the scene before me had not run its full course. What of the eight ducklings left behind by their mother as she raced off to rescue the lost pair? Imagine then, my surprise to see those eight youngsterstheir eyes fixed firmly upon their mother, race into the midst of the stream and follow her into the safety of the small dam. Now mother and ten ducklings were reunited.

Right there was the answer, God's blueprint to avoid being swept away by life's troubles and storms. I had made the same mistake as Peter when he stepped out of the boat to walk on water to reach Jesus. Like him I took my eyes off the Lord and cast my gaze upon surrounding troubles, doubts and fears. Like Peter I sank. How eloquently those ducklings illustrated Hebrews 12:2, 'Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.' Had I done that, and clung to His words in John 14:1, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me," I could have been spared such anguish!

Yet all the same, my heart is comforted by the knowledge that when my gaze strays from Him and I am swept away by life's troubles, that He will come after me and restore me to Himself. He will indeed never leave nor forsake me.

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Joshua 1:5 NIV I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Hebrews 12:2 NIV Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
John 14:1 NIV Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me.

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http://cornerstonethefoundation.blogspot.com/

Peter Stone, a Bible College Graduate, has an international marriage and two children. Suffers from epilepsy and otosclerosis. He teaches Sunday school and plays the piano in church.

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