Set Your Focus / Greg Laurie

 Set Your Focus

“We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” (Hebrews 12:2 NLT)

In the ancient Olympic Games, the judge stood in full view of the runners, holding a crown of leaves for the victor to wear. If you were running that race, you could look ahead and see the judge holding your reward as you came around the bend. It was in plain view. That was where you would set your focus. You wouldn’t look at the people next to you or behind you. You would focus and run.

In the same way, we are in a race—the race of life. And as we are coming around to perhaps our final lap, we need to look forward and look at Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (NLT).

We need to cut loose any excess weight that will hurt us or slow us down. The key is keeping our eyes on Jesus. Then we won’t have to fear the passing of years. We can look forward to it because that means we are closer to eternity, to seeing the Lord.

If we run the race for others, we will be disappointed. If we put our eyes on people, they may let us down. And if we put our eyes on the world, it can discourage us and overwhelm us.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, and you’ll make it. Run the race for Him. That is where you start, and that is where you must end.