Keeping Our Eyes On Jesus

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.

Hebrews 12:1-2

There are so many things that can hinder our spiritual progress, so many weights that slow us down and derail us from God’s purpose for our lives. Yet inherent in this passage from Hebrews is a precious promise that assures us we can run the race God marked out for each of us if we keep our eyes on Jesus. How important is this? It means the difference between victory and defeat, living in faith or living in doubt, accomplishing our purpose on earth or giving up.

Amy Carmichael, missionary to India and founder of the Dohnavur Fellowship, found that the more we know of the person we’re looking at, the more we see, and the more our eyes are able to see of the Lord Jesus, the more we can keep our eyes on him. Even this great woman of faith, who rescued countless Indian children from temple abuse for fifty-five years, experienced times when she was caught in the crush of life, pushed down, and tempted to lose her focus. She learned it takes a very intentional effort to look up to the Lord and turn her attention to him. But when she did, she was able to keep going no matter what happened—in times of physical suffering, when funds were lacking, and through waves of other difficulties.

When you and I turn from focusing on ourselves to keeping our eyes on the Author and Finisher of our faith, we, too, will be filled with life, joy, and peace.

Father, I want to keep my eyes on Jesus. Help me and give me grace to consciously turn my eyes away from my problems and the things of this world to the one upon whom my faith depends from start to finish. In the name above all names, amen.

Keep looking in the right direction in everything you do; this is so important. Keep looking up and kneeling down.

Corrie Ten Boom(1892–1983), Dutch author, speaker, and concentration camp survivor