You Will See What You Focus On
Let’s say you go to the beach with a friend. Before you even mount the dune you can hear the roar before a single wave comes into view. As you step on to the warm sand you and your friend are met with one of the greatest earthly displays of the glory of the Lord.
Your friend is overwhelmed as she takes in the vastness of the ocean. No matter she’s seen it more times than she can count. The sight never gets old. As she stares in wonder she is reminded of God’s great love for us. Her soul is flooded with Scripture like Ephesians 3 :16-20, that you may know the love of God, “what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];” Isaiah 40:12, ” Who else has held the oceans in his hand?” Psalm 139:17-18, His thoughts about us are more numerous than the grains of sand on the sea shore!
Meanwhile, you are distracted by an empty bottle somebody had the nerve to leave on the beach. I mean, seriously! What is wrong with people?
No one cares anymore. People are so selfish. This world is going to hell in a hand-basket, as my great-grandmother would say.
Where is your focus?
What are you looking at this Christmas? You will see what you focus on.
Are you focusing on your to-do list? On the parties to prepare for, the clothes to pick out, the presents to wrap? Or are you focusing on that baby?
That baby Who was that King Who laid aside His glory to step into human muck to become the Savior of our souls.
Are you focusing on the things that overwhelm or on the One Who overcame?
For the joy set before Him…
Christ’s focus was not on the cross. It was not on the pain. It was not on the fear. It was not on the struggle. (Hebrews 12:2)
Christ’s focus was on the end result. On the “it is finished” of His mission. Christ’s focus was on you!
His focus was a world brought back into complete reconciliation with a God Who loved them so much He stepped out of Glory and into a dirty manger to become the Savior of all mankind.
Yes, there was a mess standing between Him and the promise He came to fulfill. But He chose to set His gaze on you and on me. He chose to look past the hurt and the tragedy to the joy on the other side.
Lift your gaze!
In this season of busy and excitement, should you find yourself distracted, overwhelmed, overburdened and discouraged by all the things right in front of you I challenge you to lift your gaze to the other side. Look through. Look past. Look over. Look around. Do what you must to set your eyes on Jesus.
” Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. ” Colossians 3:2
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ” Matthew 6:33
Don’t focus on the things you didn’t accomplish this year, or spend too much time honing in on the things you want to accomplish next year. Take time to be still. Sit in this moment, and know that He is God. (Psalm 46:10)