I love that old chorus: “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”. How true this little song is. The everyday things that can tear us down and bother us, actually seem unimportant when we turn our focus on Jesus.
I am ten years older than my youngest sibling. When my brother Andrew began to play t- ball I would go to the field to cheer his team on. It was so cute to see Andrew and the other little boys especially when they played the outfield position. Instead of watching the game, these future ball players were picking dandelions and daisys, they would be making each other laugh, they would be completely distracted from what they were suppose to be doing there. They had lost sight of their goal.
As a Christian we can fall into the same day dreaming trap. We can allow things to come into our line of vision that take our eyes, ever so briefly, off of Jesus and our goal. This is a snare the enemy of our souls sets for us. You see, he doesn’t really care what your eyes are on, as long as they are not on Jesus. He will try to distract us with gossip, or he might make sure we see the faults of others. He might bring a little drama into your life, just to get you fussing and fretting, instead of focusing on the race the Lord has set before you to run.
“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” (1Co 9:24 AV)
Let’s run a clean race, let’s not get side tracked with petty things that will take us out of the race. Let’s run the race, or in other words, walk the Christian walk, with integrity. Let’s make Jesus proud of us.
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” (Heb 12:1 AV)
This verse reminds us that there will be weights that come along, sins that we can fall into, but we are to keep on keeping on. We are to lay those things aside and keep serving the Lord. I know in my own life, whenever I have taken my eyes off the Lord, even for a minute, I have fallen into trouble. I might develop a critical spirit or I might start finding fault, whatever the pit I find my self in, I know I have taken my eyes off the Lord.
Let’s remember Peter, when Jesus asked him to come to him on the waters of Galilee. Peter was doing fine until he took his eyes off Jesus. We are the same way. Let’s not let the enemy sidetrack us. Let’s stay focused on the Lord’s work and our walk with Him.
There will always be naysayers, negative people around you and in your life. It’s up to you if you allow them the power to distract you. When someone comes to you with a negative thought or heaven forbid a piece of criticism or gossip, turn a deaf ear towards them and pray for them because they have lost their focus.
Lord may be stay in the race, may we stay focused, may be live for you all the days of our life in a way that is pleasing unto you.
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