Hebrews 12:2

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

In running a race, concentration is very important as you seize the moment to gain the victory. All the hard work of preparation and the special equipment and tools used are secondary to the intense concentration to bring it all together to achieve the victory.

What are the options for the focus of our concentration?

Option A:     The finish line. You can focus straight ahead. Good advice, but it can still get very discouraging.

Option B:     The reward. This focus can help our motivation, but we can be all over the road in our perseverance.

Option C:     The fear of failure. For many this is a major motivation, but it saps one of all joy in running the race.

Option D:     None of the above!

The Bible exhorts you and me as we run the race “to fix our eyes on Jesus.” The meaning of the original word here for “fix” implies a two-fold action. We are to turn our eyes away from something in order to fix our eyes on something else.

What does that mean? Let me suggest three things: First, we need to recognize that we can be easily distracted. Again and again, we must pull our attention away from the distractions. We must focus only on Jesus. Secondly, as we focus on Jesus, we will see more clearly the course set before us. Finally, as we focus on Jesus, we will find the strength to persevere through trials, disappointments, and hardship.

As the old chorus says: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

 – Written by Edward Bradley, April 12th 2005