Proverbs 4:25
“Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.”
Have you ever considered, and I mean really considered, that if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are running a race? I know, I know, I’m sure many days your life feels like a race. But I’m not talking about the rat-race we often find ourselves in. I’m talking about the spiritual race to which we are called. The race of pursuing Jesus and following Him with everything we have.
Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
A few weeks go, with the snow fading away and Spring fever in full bloom, my two-year- old Jude and I took his tricycle out for a spin through our neighborhood. As Jude was just getting the hang of riding his “hog” I left the handy dandy parent handle in place to help him along. While it seems like a great system, on that specific afternoon Jude was feeling particularly independent. He was adamant that I not touch the handle, or help him along. While I did my best to let him go solo and keep my hands off the handle, Jude continually looked back just to make sure I wasn’t helping. However, the problem with this is that every time he looked back he lost his concentration, veered off course, and even stopped pedaling all together. After the third or fourth time he looked back, it was more than apparent that it was impossible for him to stay on track and push forward while looking back.
How true is this also for each of us in our spiritual walk? We want to follow Jesus, stay on course, and pursue His plan for our life; however, a past sin, failure, fear, or situation keeps us looking back. When we do, we are thrown off course and find it impossible to fully follow Jesus with everything we have. Fixating on the past won’t change anything. We need to apply God’s grace and move forward with our eyes focused only on Jesus.
Proverbs 4:25-27 says, “Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet And all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil.”
Stop looking back! Keep your eyes focused on Jesus, pursue Him with everything you have and run your race with complete perseverance.
When we get to the end of our life, only then should we look back. At that time, by God’s grace, the only thing we should see in the rear-view mirror is a race well run!
How is Jesus calling you to run with Him today?
