Eyes on the Road!
The following is from Planet Wisdom Devotionals! You can subscribe to it by clicking here.
"Let us fix our 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." (Hebrews 12:2)
Driver's Ed can be scary. You ride around for hours in the back seat finding out all of your classmates driving flaws. I remember seeing a friend of mine notice something on the side of the road. As his head turned to look at it, he began to turn the wheel in that direction, too. If the instructor hadn't snapped him out of it, we'd have driven right off the road and straight into what he was focused on.
Faith racers are kind of like new drivers. We run toward what we're looking at. So this passage says, "Hey, keep your eyes on the road; look at Jesus!" After all, we're running His trail. We're following Him. Sometimes, I forget that. I think I'm supposed to take off on my own in search of direction (or I just lose interest in the race). But my purpose in life is to keep following Jesus.
It's a tough trail. It took Jesus to the pain, agony, and potential shame of the cross. But He kept running. He knew how many of us would be following Him. He made it possible for us to follow Him until we finish our own race.
What are you looking at today?
Think: How does this racing metaphor help you picture the life of trusting God in a new way?
Pray: Ask God to snap you out of it when you begin to turn your focus away from looking at Jesus and the path He set for you.
Do: Write down three things you sometimes start to focus on instead of Jesus.
"Let us fix our 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." (Hebrews 12:2)
Driver's Ed can be scary. You ride around for hours in the back seat finding out all of your classmates driving flaws. I remember seeing a friend of mine notice something on the side of the road. As his head turned to look at it, he began to turn the wheel in that direction, too. If the instructor hadn't snapped him out of it, we'd have driven right off the road and straight into what he was focused on.
Faith racers are kind of like new drivers. We run toward what we're looking at. So this passage says, "Hey, keep your eyes on the road; look at Jesus!" After all, we're running His trail. We're following Him. Sometimes, I forget that. I think I'm supposed to take off on my own in search of direction (or I just lose interest in the race). But my purpose in life is to keep following Jesus.
It's a tough trail. It took Jesus to the pain, agony, and potential shame of the cross. But He kept running. He knew how many of us would be following Him. He made it possible for us to follow Him until we finish our own race.
What are you looking at today?
Think: How does this racing metaphor help you picture the life of trusting God in a new way?
Pray: Ask God to snap you out of it when you begin to turn your focus away from looking at Jesus and the path He set for you.
Do: Write down three things you sometimes start to focus on instead of Jesus.
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So, Frank relayed to me something he heard on the radio yesterday. And, I thought it fitting to pass along to you for your consideration.
Right now, Christian teens are largely influenced by these things, in this order: Friends'/Peers' views and attitudes about God; what they think they already know (and rely on); and then what they get from going to church and/or youth group once/twice a week. Isn't it interesting, that it doesn't say they are influenced by what God thinks or His Word?
So, the speaker went on to say that the more time a Christian teen spends in God's Word, the more they are influenced this way: Knowing God and what He thinks about how they should live their lives; church attendance & youth group participation; and lastly, least influenced by their Friends'/Peers' views and attitudes about God.
I find that very telling. In light of the devotional today...is your heart, mind & soul distracted by your outside influences more than the Holy Spirit's influence as He seeks to teach you through God's Word?
If you are leaning on your own understanding about God...you will fail. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us of that: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
In ALL your ways. Don't you find that challenging? The speaker went on to say that if Christian teens would begin by spending time in God's Word every day, they would begin to see a shift in their mindset.
How can you spend time in God's Word every day?
I love you all!
c'iao-M
