These words keep ringing in my heart. As they do, the Lord is applying them in a transforming way that echoes in my life.
Take a moment to let these words sink in.
“Consider” in Greek means = "to observe fully:—behold, consider, discover, perceive."
Picture considering something for purchase. What do you do? You look at it, think about it and different aspects of it, and take deep interest in it.
Who does this verse call us to consider? Jesus!
When you consider Jesus – Who He is, what He said and promised, what He has done and is doing – you begin to see more and more in His Word that His:
- power is limitless
- love is unchanging
- wisdom is perfect
…and so much more!
The reality of who He is colors every other area of your life – and it is life changing.For example - If I am fixing my eyes on, thinking about, worshiping Him for, and living in faith in His love and control over all things, I will struggle less and less with fear about the future and embrace today more and more as His best for me.
Can you see how this affects our lives?
Jesus changes everything, and when we fix our eyes on Him, everything begins to change, too.
Isn’t this exciting?
I love analogies and the Bible is full of them. Hebrews 12 compares our Christian life to a race. If you have done any kind of running, you will understand the pictures in these verses.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”~ Hebrews 12:1-3
I was in a race with my brother and some friends and it was a wonderful experience. I noticed this as I ran – when my focus got too much on my running friends, the weather, or feelings of tiredness – my performance changed. But, when I focused where I should, I was able to plug along and embrace the race.
It is similar in a much deeper way in our Christian life.
We can love Jesus so much, and yet our mind can slip to spending most of our time considering things other than Jesus.
When I look within or without and consider myself and my weaknesses, circumstances, relationships, or feelings – I grow weary, faint, and discouraged.But, when I look up and consider Jesus and His strength, His Word, and His work – I am encouraged, strengthened, and spurred on to run with and for Him with all of my heart.
Jesus invites us to lift our eyes from:
- our need to His sufficiency
- our weakness to His strength
- our sin to His grace
- our pain to His comfort…
and then run with patience the race He has for us, knowing He is with us every step.
This is the life that He is calling us to, friends. Let’s receive His grace to fix our eyes on and consider Jesus. As we do, our lives will be transformed.
