DAILY DEVOTION: "Staying Focused"

Day 29: Staying Focused

Scripture: (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.”

Author:  Terry Easter

We become a follower of Christ by looking to Him in faith.  Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God.”  The life of the believer is one of faith.  Not only are we saved by faith but we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation (1 Peter 1:5).  What a glorious thought.  One day we will enter heaven as a result of our faith in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Hebrews 12:2 tells us that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.  He is the author in that He is the perfect example of faith.  He is the finisher or perfector in that He trusted in God the Father even to the death on the cross.  As Satan tempted Him in the wilderness, His faith remained strong.  In the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed “Father, not my will but thine.”  With perfect faith, He endured the agony and shame of the cross. 

Just as our Lord remained steadfast on His mission, we too must be resolute in our focus.  We are living in a world full of distractions.  There are constantly people and things competing for our attention.  With modern conveniences and technologies so subtly consuming our time and our minds, it is imperative that we keep our eyes on Jesus.      

Our spiritual life can change all so slowly and often without us even realizing it.  That is Satan’s ploy.  He desires to distract the child of God.  When we find ourselves discouraged, frustrated, and perhaps even despondent in life, we must quickly acknowledge his subtle deception and cry out to our Lord for forgiveness (1 John 1:9.)  This will enable us to get our eyes back on Jesus.

“When Satan temps, and doubts and fears assail, look to the Lamb of God; You in His strength shall over all prevail, Look to the Lamb of God."