Looking unto Jesus

Hebrews 12:2

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

How do we run with patience the race set before us? How do we despise the shame? How do we continue on amid the assailments and obstacles of life? How do we keep from faltering, fainting, and falling? It is only one way. Looking unto Jesus! We keep our eyes on nothing but Him! No other object is worthy of our attention; no other goal is worthy of striving for. The only objective is He! For He is the author and finisher of our faith! Without Him, we would have no faith. He engendered it; He produced it in us. He authored it completely. And therefore it all begins with Him. It starts with Christ. He is the author.

But Christ is also the finisher of our faith. We will only get to the end of this, we will only cross the finish line with His help. He will guide us to the end. We must not allow our attention to wander or our eyes to stray. We must not set our affections on anything below, but only on the things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. For He has completed the work. “It is finished!” was His last cry on the cross. All work has been done. This is why He is the finisher of our faith. But, dear friend, He will also finish your faith. If you will keep your eyes on the Lord rather than any other objective, and if you will divert your attention from the trivialities and distractions of life, you will see that Christ will take you through. Setting our eyes on anything of this world will only serve to give us a weak finish. Do you want a strong finish? Do you want to compete the race with joy? Do you want to be able to endure the cross triumphantly to the end? It is only by looking unto Jesus! Stop looking elsewhere! It is useless! It is hindering to your Christian life! It takes your eyes away from that which is important.

Beloved, will you keep your heart and mind stayed on the Lord today? Others may condemn or your own thoughts may deceive and distract you. No! Keep your mind and eyes on Him! He will keep you in line. He will keep you on the course of life, so that you may finish your course with joy. Do not look at anyone or anything today but Christ! He is the object, and He is the goal. Every other goal is disillusioning and disappointing. Look unto Jesus!

“Father, we thank you for this great reminder today that has served to redirect our eyes back to you. Help us to look to Christ alone. Help us to look unto the author and finisher of our faith. The one who endured the cross, despising the shame! The one who is now set down at the right hand of the throne of God. The one who finished the work on our behalf. We thank Thee for this, Lord! May Christ be our all in all, and may we look only unto Him. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.”