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I’ve been focusing on our race—the race that God has set before each of his children. I’ve pointed out that we each have our own unique race, and you don’t have to run mine and I don’t have to run yours. And unlike earthly races, all of us who run can win if we run with perseverance the race marked out for us, and get rid of all the stuff that entangles and hinders us.
But the last part of that passage in Hebrews 12:1-2 is probably the most important:
Let us fix out eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Any successful runner knows one critical rule of running: Stay focused on the finish line. Winning athletes are those who can keep focused no matter what’s going on around them.
The longer I run the race that God has marked out for me, the more I realize that if I stay focused on Jesus, if I never lose the wonder of his love for me, if I talk about him and think about him and read about him, if I stay in first love with Jesus, I can run with perseverance. But when I take my eyes off Jesus, I become disappointed, discouraged, and ready to quit.
Have you taken your eyes off Jesus lately? Oh, when you do, that’s when you start to get entangled and that’s when sin moves in. When you take your eyes off Jesus, you’re a sitting duck for all of Satan’s flaming arrows that are headed your way to keep you from winning this race. People will fail you. Churches will fail you. Dreams will be shattered. Hopes will be dashed. And if you start looking at those things, instead of Jesus, the race becomes drudgery and dismal.
I think of many people I know who started running their races with enthusiasm and commitment, but they took their eyes off Jesus and became disillusioned. Let me assure of this: Jesus will never fail you. Please, stay fixed on Jesus. The Christian race comes down to this simple—not necessarily easy—but simple priority and that is, fixed on Jesus.
We want to be able to say with the Apostle Paul:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
Therefore: Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.