Close Your Eyes

Close your eyes… actually … first read this devotional then close your eyes and think about parts of it again.

Hebrews 12:1-3 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.

Throw off everything that hinders - there is that old saying, “Don’t sweat the small stuff and PS it’s ALL small stuff”. So get rid of things that are dragging you down. Keeping you from standing up and moving forward. That includes negative thoughts.

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. What is our race? Well that is between you and God but I would venture to say that it is likely way bigger than you know or think. I feel sure that God has better for you than you imagine you deserve. When we say HIS best, not our best or someone else’s best and that means someone’s definition of best, when you stop and think about Heaven, it’s beyond fantastic it is going to be every wonderful adjective there is in the English language and then some.

I’ve heard it described this way. Think of your 4 most favorite smells, like fresh cut grass, baking cookies, a great home cooked dinner, a clean kid, and coffee – now that one brings up childhood wonderful memories for me. The smell of coffee in my grandparents’ home – oh man don’t get me started. Ok so smells, now let’s move on, what are your 4 most favorite sights, like a piece of wonderful art, a rainbow, a clean desk, and my Granddaughters dimples! Ok so we’re done smell and sight let’s move on to sounds, your 4 favorite sounds, a thunderstorm to nap with, a wonderful song or someone singing that song, my daughters laugh and any of you who have heard her laugh knows what I mean, it’s from the deep depths and it’s so genuine and hearty, this sound has the ability to stop me in my tracks and make me loose train of thought and anything else I’m doing and just laugh along with her. It’s just that good. Ok so smell, sight, sound and now let’s do touch your 4 favorite things to feel, by touch. Like a lovely warm bath to soak away the day in, a fuzzy warm blanket to snuggle up in, a nice soft pair of fuzzy socks, your favorite “comfies” as I call them. That go to outfit that fits perfect and lets you not be binded. Ahh just right. Perfect and soft and cozy. AHHH…yes that’s it.

So now bunch them all together, that’s a lot of wonderful there, think about all of them combined, do you have it, keep thinking about all that terrific, still have it. This is where I want you to close your eyes and focus, focus on those things you just put as your favorites, think on them, see them, hear them, touch them and smell them… Now multiply how you feel about all of your favorites by a million and THAT my friends is how wonderful Heaven will be. I love this description of Heaven. Sure is worth looking forward to and running the race so that we get there. Oh I’m going but later versus sooner if it’s all the same. I still have work to do and books to write.

Next, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Laser focus on Jesus. You know if there are things in your life that aren’t going according to plan, focus on Jesus, ask Him to handle them for you or to show you how to manage them yourself. For sure He cares about those things so why not lean on Him. Focus on Him, pray to Him, be thankful to Him.

Remember Him, put him Front and center - For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame. Look what He did for us. What was the ultimate sacrifice. The Lamb that keeps on giving, every moment, every day, week, month and year. His gift never ends. We just need to accept it. Be thankful for it and honor it. Well how does that look?

I was thinking about who said this, who wrote this passage, not so much why, that’s pretty obvious but who. In my research here is what I found: The Epistle to the Hebrews of the Christian Bible is one of the New Testament books whose canonicity was disputed. Traditionally, Paul the Apostle was thought to be the author. However, since the third century this has been questioned, and the consensus among most modern scholars is that the author is unknown.

Last, Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Not sure I can add to that it pretty much sums it up. I was thinking about who said it, like I mentioned above. it makes sense if Paul was the one who wrote it. He knew in great detail the suffering and how it produces things in us that we both want and need. He wanted us to keep what Jesus did in mind – always. So that we could not grow weary and lose heart. In today’s economy those things can happen so easy.

So what’s the solution? It says through this entire devotional. Focus on Jesus, focus on His teachings, focus on Him so that you can focus not on other things. So the next time an issue arises think about it… is this your circus? Are these your Monkeys? If not give the whole thing up and move on.

Dear Jesus – Thank You for bring our perfecter of faith. For taking on the sin, for dying for ours. Nothing more to ask today, You know the needs and wants. Today it is just about the thanks. Thank You Jesus – Thank You! - Amen