Looking Unto Jesus

Hebrews 12:1-2 – “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.”

When I was a boy, my family lived on and operated a small family farm in south Georgia.  My stepfather, who was in poor health, depended on me for the day-to-day responsibilities of running the farm.  One of those chores was plowing the fields and planting the rows of corn.  My stepdad encouraged me to plow the rows as straight as possible.  I knew that if they were not straight, punishment may ensue, therefore I was highly motivated to plow straight rows.  As I drove the tractor pulling the plow, I would pick a tree or fence post on the opposite end of the field and keep my eyes focused on that item until I reached the end of the row.  With each new row, I would repeat the process until the field was finished, each row straight and even.  Keeping my eyes affixed to the goal, I was able to plow straight furrows and avoid the wrath of my stepdad.

The same is true of our Christian lives.  Here Paul instructs us to run the race of life by keeping our eyes on the goal.  Our goal is to be one determined by the express Will of Christ; therefore we should keep our eyes fixed on Him.  It was Him that gave us life – it was Him that gave us salvation – it was Him that gave us our calling to service.  And it will be Him that guides us to the successful completion of our race for Him.

First, consider the testimony and commands of the Apostle Paul.  In Galatians 2:20, he tells us, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me.”  So just by virtue of the fact that a man who is crucified is in a fixed position, facing forward, and is not able to look backward.  So must we keep our eyes fixed on Him and never look back – we must keep looking forward – we must remain focused on our goal.  If we do, then we’ll successfully run our race for Him.

Secondly, consider what’s ahead for us.  Titus 2:12-13 tells us, “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, and righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”  We are to be always looking unto Him, awaiting His appearing when we will be taken to live with Him for eternity.  This is to be our final destination – this is to be our birthright – this is to be our inheritance.  If we will keep looking for His coming, then we’ll successfully run our race for Him.

Thirdly, we have illustrations in God’s Word that teach us the importance of performing our service to Him faithfully with our eyes on the goal.  Look at 1 Samuel 6 – the ark of God has been taken by the Philistines, but God has sent plagues upon them for defiling the ark.  They decide to send the ark back to Israel.  They choose to do it in the best way they know – they put it on a newly-built cart drawn by two milk cows with young calves.  The nature of these cows would be to not leave their calves, but verse 12 tells us the cows “took the straight way … and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left,” and delivered the ark back to Israel.  They went totally against their nature and let nothing distract them from their task.  God expects the same from us – we should not let ourselves be distracted in our service for Him.  We should look neither “to the right hand or to the left” – we should not let the world draw us away from our task – we should keep our eyes on the goal.  If we do, then we’ll successfully run our race for Him.

Quote – “Fear looks at circumstances – Faith looks to God.” – Dr. John McCormick

"Lord, As we go through the struggles of this everyday life, help us to always look to you. Help us to turn not aside to the right or to the left. But help us to keep our eye on the prize. Amen."