top of page

Kerry Lytle

July 13, 2024

Hebrews 12:2, New King James Version

"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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."


We need to make Jesus our focal point everyday just as a spinning ballerina must keep returning her eyes to a given point to maintain her balance, so we must keep returning our focus to Jesus. Our circumstances are always changing, but the only way to keep our balance is to fix our eyes on Jesus the one who never changes. If we look too long at the circumstances going on around us, we will become confused and sink.

 

Peter is a great example about what happens when we take our focus off Jesus. When Peter stepped out of the boat and began to walk on water, he experienced a miracle. Certainly, what Peter experienced was literally phenomenal. But something happened. Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, and when he did, he began to sink.

 

It is necessary to fix our eyes on Jesus. He’s our only hope. The world tries to distract us with the news, politics, the latest epidemic. We can get distracted by our daily worries and struggles, by work, family, you name it. There are so many things that could take our focus off Jesus if we aren't careful. We have to keep our eyes locked on Him.

 

If we take our eyes off of Jesus, if we don’t focus on Him, we become like a little leaf or a dead fish, and just float the way the river’s going. And the river is not flowing toward heaven in this world. Drifting is very dangerous. Very, very dangerous. Drifting is deadly in the Christian life. Pay close attention to what the Holy Spirit is trying to say to you.

 

Don’t allow the winds and waves of chaos to steal your focus. Jesus must remain your focus.

 

When Jesus remains your focus, several things happen. Firstly, when Jesus remains your focus, your heart is filled with perfect peace. Secondly, when Jesus remains your focus, you’ll experience true unity with fellow believers. When we focus on Jesus, we focus on what unites us, rather than on what has the potential to divide us. Thirdly, when Jesus remains your focus, you will be firmly established. You won’t be moved by every opinion and trend. You will abide faithfully, steadfastly. Nothing will be able to shake you. Your faith will remain intact, even in difficult times.

 

What does keeping Jesus our focal point look like for you and I? We have to be intentional about keeping our eyes on Jesus: Taking time to pray, to dive into scripture and to turn to Jesus continually throughout the day so that He can guide our steps. Keeping our eyes on Jesus means me turning away from a world that urges us to do more, be more and doesn’t want us to focus on Jesus but on all the outwardly things. It’s turning on worship music when our soul feels tired.

 

It looks like breathing prayers of “help!” and prayers of “thanks” a gazillion times a day. It looks like remembering that life is not a contest. It looks like remembering the only race I’m in has to do with keeping my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith.

 

Focusing on Jesus can lead to spiritual stability, effectiveness, and faith that remains intact even in difficult times. 

 

Let the winds and the waves rage. Keep your eyes on Jesus. When the storm passes, you don’t want to look back in shame. You don’t want to look back and remember yourself falling apart, losing faith, being controlled by your emotions, or sinking. When you look back at the days of the storm, you will want to say, “I stood faithfully. I kept my integrity. I kept my purity, my joy, my love, my peace. In the middle of the storm, I kept my eyes on Jesus.”

bottom of page