Keep Your Eyes on Jesus

And let us run with endurance…keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish (Hebrews 12:2 NLT)

We are to run this difficult life with endurance….and how best can we persevere when we have to run through swamp or that mountainous terrain? We need to turn our eyes heaven-ward and keep our eyes on Jesus.

That’s what gave Stephen courage when he had to stand before his accusers who were ready to put him to death. He was given a glimpse of Jesus in heaven and declared, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand” (Acts 7:56 NLT). Seeing this brief glimpse of Jesus gave Stephen the endurance he needed to run his race and finish it.

It is important….no….vital to keep our eyes on Jesus. Why? Because life will always disappoint us….circumstances will never always go “our way”, and at times the things that happen to us in life can devastate us and the people around us. Others are certain to let us down and they fall short of our expectations….feelings and emotions come and go and too often people act upon the emotions of the moment, forgetting the consequences that may lay ahead. But throughout all these tragedies, Jesus is always there looking out for us….interceding for us before the Father in heaven. He has run the race before we ever existed….He has run and He has been declared victorious! He is the ultimate winner and is willing and able to show US how to run….but in order for us to hear Him….we must keep looking to Him and abiding in Him…and we too will finish the race with victory!

While writing this, i’m reminding of that song (here’s a blast from the past for me) “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full on His wonderful face, and the things on earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”