Proverbs 4: 25-27: "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil."
There are so many examples of focus preceding success. I think it was the movie, "The Greatest Game Ever Played" in which the main character had developed the technique of drowning out the crowd and the ghosts from his past in order to focus on the goal of winning his game. This is excellently portrayed in the movie as everything fades into the background until there is nothing other than the ball, the hole, and the golfer in sight. Oh, how our lives as Christians should mimic such focus!
One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is Hebrews 12. The chapter begins by encouraging us to look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our salvation as we patiently run this race. In this "looking", we are to consider Jesus and what he suffered as he focused on the goal. Our suffering certainly cannot be compared! Later, verse 15 says, "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled..." Looking diligently at what? At this Jesus, the author and finisher of our salvation.
It is so easy for us to lose focus and take ourselves out of the race when we become bitter -- and there are so many opportunities for bitterness in life! When bitterness takes root in our lives, we fail to allow God's grace to flow to us and through us, we become "troubled", and many (family, friends, coworkers) become defiled by our bitter lives. I believe verse 15 holds a vital truth for victory in the Christian walk -- look diligently unto Jesus to overcome the temptation to become bitter in life. Bitterness kills. It destroys. It is the a root from which nothing good is produced (Ephesians 4:31). When we identify bitterness in our lives, we must focus on Jesus until all other distractions, voices and ghosts from our past fade into nothing and only Jesus -- our goal, the Author and Finisher of our salvation-- is in sight. Then, and only then, will we be able to run successful and patiently this race called the Christian life. Have you taken yourself out of the race? Get up! Run on, dear one, for your Savior awaits at the end of the race with open arms and opportunity for great reward. The past matters not -- how will you run now? His love and grace abound toward you if you will only focus on Christ alone. Run, friend, run!
There are so many examples of focus preceding success. I think it was the movie, "The Greatest Game Ever Played" in which the main character had developed the technique of drowning out the crowd and the ghosts from his past in order to focus on the goal of winning his game. This is excellently portrayed in the movie as everything fades into the background until there is nothing other than the ball, the hole, and the golfer in sight. Oh, how our lives as Christians should mimic such focus!
One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is Hebrews 12. The chapter begins by encouraging us to look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our salvation as we patiently run this race. In this "looking", we are to consider Jesus and what he suffered as he focused on the goal. Our suffering certainly cannot be compared! Later, verse 15 says, "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled..." Looking diligently at what? At this Jesus, the author and finisher of our salvation.
It is so easy for us to lose focus and take ourselves out of the race when we become bitter -- and there are so many opportunities for bitterness in life! When bitterness takes root in our lives, we fail to allow God's grace to flow to us and through us, we become "troubled", and many (family, friends, coworkers) become defiled by our bitter lives. I believe verse 15 holds a vital truth for victory in the Christian walk -- look diligently unto Jesus to overcome the temptation to become bitter in life. Bitterness kills. It destroys. It is the a root from which nothing good is produced (Ephesians 4:31). When we identify bitterness in our lives, we must focus on Jesus until all other distractions, voices and ghosts from our past fade into nothing and only Jesus -- our goal, the Author and Finisher of our salvation-- is in sight. Then, and only then, will we be able to run successful and patiently this race called the Christian life. Have you taken yourself out of the race? Get up! Run on, dear one, for your Savior awaits at the end of the race with open arms and opportunity for great reward. The past matters not -- how will you run now? His love and grace abound toward you if you will only focus on Christ alone. Run, friend, run!
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