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 .
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
