Hello Fellow Home School Families.
As Christians, there is so much truth to the saying, “Don’t let the world get you down!” We know that our faith and main purpose for living this life is to glorify HIM. As the prophet Paul so eloquently stated in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” We have an intimate relationship with Jesus who, on our behalf, has overcome every type of temptation and sin that we have faced living in this world. Amen! With the culture constantly reminding us of everything that is wrong with us, we can easily fall into a trap of self-pity and discouragement which results in us taking our eyes off of our Savior.
A great illustration of why it is so important to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus was written in the Gospel of Matthew 14:22-31. As a great storm engulfed the disciple’s fishing boat, conditions became unbearable and the men on board thought that they all would perish. In the midst of the raging sea, the disciples panicked and became desperate and scared. Then, Peter noticed Jesus walking firmly on top of the water towards the storm-battered boat. Because of the awareness that Jesus was close by, fear started to be replaced by hope. Jesus’ presence was so powerful, that Peter would disregard all of the laws of physics and would step onto the water himself. His eyes were transfixed on Jesus as he began to take his steps. I know that we all have beautiful stories about how fulfilled we are when we trust the Lord with all that we have. But I know we can also relate to what would happen next as Peter became aware of the circumstances and conditions around him. I can only imagine the sobering realization when Peter saw his feet on the water and then slowly sank below the water as he looked to his right and to his left. His eyes were now completely cast down no longer looking at Jesus but focusing all of his attention on the great storm. We all will sink without Jesus. Do you ever wonder why is it so hard to remember that in all of our circumstances?
As we close the chapter on 2021 and head towards a brand new year, let’s turn our attention and sharpen our focus on drawing closer to Jesus. I want to encourage all of us to be disciplined and to consecrate each new day to the Lord asking for repentance and guidance. I leave you with this thought…We will have great storms in the year to come, but they will never overcome us if we hold onto the Hope we have in Christ. God Bless all of you!
Written by Kent Goble, HCS Board Member