Consider Him

Pause:

Before you start reading this devotional, take a moment to stop what you’re doing, slow down and focus on Jesus. 

Pray and ask him to open your eyes to see as you read the scriptures, and to open your ears to hear as you wait on the leading of the Spirit.

Read:

Hebrews 12v1-3: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Going Deeper:

I’m not a runner. 

I’ve tried to run or jog, and have even gotten into the habit from time to time, but running is just not something I enjoy.

I say that as a disclaimer before I use the running term “second wind” in just a second.

I have probably never run far enough, or for long enough, to get anywhere near that illusive second wind. But I imagine it must be glorious. To have another surge of energy or power to keep running, after you thought you were depleted, and would need to end your run.

But what about in life?

For many of us, even those of us who started this lockdown season positively and energetically, we’re feeling tired or worn down. Or to use the language of v3: we have grown weary and lost heart. There is so much uncertainty still ahead of us, and the goal posts for when our period of quarantine will be over keeps changing. And on top of that, we aren’t even sure what our new normal will look like after quarantine.

Now would be the time for a second wind to help us to persevere, or endure, or keep running the race marked out for us.

So, what does the writer of Hebrews tell us to do in times of trials, weariness, and when we lose heart?

Firstly, he tells us to REMEMBER. Remember those who’ve gone before us. Remember the people of God, the heroes of old, who’ve endured their trials, overcome them, and finished their race, because their example can encourage us, and because they are cheering us on!

Secondly, he tells us to FOCUS. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Don’t lose sight of him in this trial, because then we will grow weary and lose heart, and we probably won’t finish our race. 

At this time there are plenty of places we can focus, plenty of places we can look for hope, plenty of things that we can obsess about and fill our minds with. But here we’re encouraged to fix or set our eyes on Jesus. Meaning, that we change the settings of our focus to be locked onto Him, because we need to focus on Him.

Thirdly, he tells us to CONSIDER him. Think about Jesus. His life and death. His sacrifice for us on the cross. His love and commitment to us. And the suffering that He endured. And to draw on his example, to strengthen us for the tough times and trials we face.

At this time there are a lot of things we can think about, or look to, or dwell on. But if we want to be able to continue to endure through the trials of life, without growing weary or losing heart, we need to REMEMBER, FOCUS on, and CONSIDER Jesus Christ.

Why don’t you spend some time now, just thinking about who Jesus is, and what He has done for you, and how that is Good News for you today.

Pray:

Respond to God in prayer by speaking to Him about what stood out to you from this passage this morning.

Listen:

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you this morning?

Apply:

What are you going to do in response to what God is saying to you from the text and by the Spirit?