Wednesday, April 26, 2017

The Focused Heart of Christ

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 

A young friend had an eye problem when I was a child.  She complained of her eyes hurting and watering.  She went to an eye doctor.  During the examination, the doctor discovered that she was amblyopic ... commonly known as "lazy eye."  The doctor explained that her eyes have trouble working together to focus.  The right eye focused correctly but the left eye had the tendency to wander from the focal point.  With some corrective glasses and eye exercises she was able to focus both eyes correctly.
Spiritually speaking, we are all a bit amblyopic... unable to stay focused on Christ.  We are constantly allowing our eyes to become distracted from the One we are to be focusing on.  Looking at the life of Jesus, we find many great qualities that contributed to His fulfilling His mission on earth.  But one that assured us of our salvation was His ability to stay focused...to stay true to the task at hand. 
Jesus never carried a day-timer, notes or a "To Do" list, yet He remained incredibly on course with what He was doing.  It wasn't that there weren't distractions to take Him off course.  Satan threw everything he could at Jesus to distract Him from His purpose.  But he remained focused in heart, motivation and action.  Even His own disciples tried to distract Him. Luke 9:51-56  Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?" But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.  For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village.
Jesus had a great resolve about Him to do the will of the Father.  We see it in the garden where He prayed for God's will, not His own, to be done.  His face being set came from a heart that was bent on doing what the Father willed. Nothing!  No other person, no prevailing social wind, or other force would be able to deter Him from his determined course...you and me!  It was not until we see Jesus hanging on the cross that we hear His dying words that sum up His focused heart.
So when Jesus had received the sour wine,
He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit
John 19:30  .
Jesus had a focused heart.  His commission, purpose and duty were fulfilled and completed as requested of the Father because His heart was fully committed to God’s plan.
Here is an attribute of Christ we all can benefit from in our lives.  His example encourages us to stay focused on Him and God’s plan for our lives.
Scripture to Claim:
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.  Mark 10:45  

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