Day 29: That we would fix our eyes on Jesus
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)
What is your church all about? I imagine we could have several good answers to that question. We are all about missions. We are all about training leaders. We are all about love. We are all about grace. But if we really stop and think about the picture that God has given to us of the churches relationship to Christ we’d have to admit that none of these are truly what we are all about. To be a faithful bride we should really be all about our husband. I’m not intending to cheapen our relationship with Christ by recalling images of shallow puppy love. And yet, shouldn’t the church be smitten with Christ in such a way that we are all about Him? Shouldn’t our eyes be fixed upon our Savior much the way a newlywed couple can’t seem to take their eyes off one another?
What would change in our churches if we truly went about fixing our eyes upon Him? I bet we’d still have missions and discipleship and grace and love and all of those precious things. But we’d be passionate about them because we first saw them in the eyes of our Savior. We’d be less like a shamed husband buying guilty flowers for his wife and more like the smitten husband who can’t keep from buying flowers because of His affection for her.
Father, you have given us everything we need in Jesus. As the old hymn says help us to turn our eyes upon Jesus. Help us Lord to fix our eyes there. Our hearts are so jaded and corrupt that we can look upon the absolute beauty and radiance of Jesus and somehow want to look away. Help us to see Our Lord as he truly is. Chain our wandering hearts to thee. Amen.
