Jump Start # 103 

Hebrews 12:2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

  This verse is a conclusion and summary. Chapter 11 listed the great heroes of faith. Sixteen specific names are listed with a brief history of how they walked “by faith.” They all gained approval by faith. They all suffered in one way or another. They make up that great cloud of witnesses that surround us. Our chapter begins with the admonition to lay aside the sin and encumbrance which seems to tangle us up and trip us and run the race with endurance.

  The race is run by fixing our eyes on Jesus. Look to Jesus. Look what Jesus went through. Look how He endured. You see the torture. You see the pain. You see the death. But look beyond that. Do you see the victory? Do you see the joy of the Father?

  Have you ever run a race? The runner can’t do well if he is looking who is behind him, nor can he succeed if he is looking down. He must hold his head up. He must see where he is going.

  Problems have a way of making us look down and only see the agony of our life. We feel overwhelmed and defeated. We struggle to keep our heads up. But we must. We must keep our eyes on Jesus. I like the word “fixing our eyes on Jesus.” Ancient mariners did not have radars and GPS systems to guide their ships. They used the sun and the stars. They fixed their position on those stars. Varying from this meant they would be off course and often in danger. The same is for us.

  How should we act? Fix your eyes on Jesus. How should we respond? Fix your eyes on Jesus. What’s the best course of action? Fix your eyes on Jesus. Do you see that pattern. Jesus is the answer. Jesus is the way. It isn’t hard, but it is. We fix our eyes on our self and then do things based upon how they make us feel. Happiness is what many fix their eyes on. Anything that makes them happy. Others fix their eyes on what is popular. Their friends tell them what they ought to be doing, and so they do it. What is in, is in for them.

  Fix your eyes on Jesus. What do you see when you do that? You see one who loved you and cared enough about you to give up His life so you could have a life. You see one who always did everything right, every time. You see one who knew what He was supposed to do and He did it.

  Eyes on Jesus. It’s easier to say that than it is to do that. We watch traffic. We watch the news. We see things to be done today. We see debt. We see laundry. We see yards to be cut. We see calendars full of appointments. We see vacation days coming up. We see pounds that need to come off. We see wrinkles in our faces. But so often, we fail to see Jesus. To see Jesus you must look internally, spiritually. You see Him by choice. You must want to see Him. He’s there if you are looking. You see Him through the Scriptures. You see Him by faith.

  Fixing your eyes on Jesus. It becomes a beautiful world full of promise and hope when that is done. Try it today. Don’t take your eyes off of Him.

Roger