“We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” Hebrews 12:2 NLT.
Ok, now pause for a sec. Have you ever wondered what this means? If God is the invisible God and Jesus is in Heaven, seated at His right hand, then what does it mean to ‘fix your eyes’ on Jesus? If we can’t physically fix our eyes on Him (here), then it must be an internal fixing of our ‘eyes’. Our mind has an ‘eye’. For example we can be very focused, determined & dedicated to whatever we choose. Our heart can also be set on things emotionally.
So think of this: what if you were on a bike and you were told to go 2 directions – one was to bike on the wide open, smooth & flat highway BUT the other option was to take your bike on the narrow, uphill dirt path with bumps and turns and lots of hills. Could you bike both at the same time? Uh, no. Physically impossible. So which would you choose? What if I told you the second choice would lead to spending eternity with Jesus? It would be a hard road and one less frequently taken – and DEFINITELY not the popular option -but it would be worth it. There would be bumps and bruises, times you question the road you were on, but you wouldn’t be alone. HE would be with you every moment. Now do you know which you’d choose?
So what are some practical tips to fixing our eyes on Jesus? For one, you can’t be living a double-sided life – you can’t be in two places at once and and you can’t choose the path the rest of the world takes. It also means you start your day right – Psalm 5:3 says “In the morning, Lord you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” The psalmist knew the way to keep His eyes on Jesus – by starting His day (and really all through the day as well) with prayer, giving his first moments to what and WHO mattered most. Who or what has your first moments? Also, spending those first moments in God’s word will give your mind a re-tuning, similar to when your phone says it needs a software update. Well time spent in His word is never wasted because His word is living and active and His word does not come back void.
Now, is that all it takes to fix our eyes on Jesus? No, but stay seeking Jesus and he’ll have your heart – your whole heart and your whole mind.
Ok, now pause for a sec. Have you ever wondered what this means? If God is the invisible God and Jesus is in Heaven, seated at His right hand, then what does it mean to ‘fix your eyes’ on Jesus? If we can’t physically fix our eyes on Him (here), then it must be an internal fixing of our ‘eyes’. Our mind has an ‘eye’. For example we can be very focused, determined & dedicated to whatever we choose. Our heart can also be set on things emotionally.
So think of this: what if you were on a bike and you were told to go 2 directions – one was to bike on the wide open, smooth & flat highway BUT the other option was to take your bike on the narrow, uphill dirt path with bumps and turns and lots of hills. Could you bike both at the same time? Uh, no. Physically impossible. So which would you choose? What if I told you the second choice would lead to spending eternity with Jesus? It would be a hard road and one less frequently taken – and DEFINITELY not the popular option -but it would be worth it. There would be bumps and bruises, times you question the road you were on, but you wouldn’t be alone. HE would be with you every moment. Now do you know which you’d choose?
So what are some practical tips to fixing our eyes on Jesus? For one, you can’t be living a double-sided life – you can’t be in two places at once and and you can’t choose the path the rest of the world takes. It also means you start your day right – Psalm 5:3 says “In the morning, Lord you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” The psalmist knew the way to keep His eyes on Jesus – by starting His day (and really all through the day as well) with prayer, giving his first moments to what and WHO mattered most. Who or what has your first moments? Also, spending those first moments in God’s word will give your mind a re-tuning, similar to when your phone says it needs a software update. Well time spent in His word is never wasted because His word is living and active and His word does not come back void.
Now, is that all it takes to fix our eyes on Jesus? No, but stay seeking Jesus and he’ll have your heart – your whole heart and your whole mind.