Focus Forward

As I drove home from visiting my daughter in the mountains earlier this evening, I watched the sun setting. My southeastern route meandered through the foothills and the pinks and oranges of dusk stayed to my right until one winding section placed the western sky right in front of me. This is the view I enjoy from my back porch at home on a daily basis so I’m familiar with the beauty and brevity as the light fades, but the Lord used this particular place and time to remind me once again of the importance of fixing my eyes further ahead, on eternity, where Jesus sits at the right hand of God the Father. Otherwise, it’s far to easy to become distracted.

In driver’s ed, we learn to focus on the entire stretch of road ahead, anticipating traffic and upcoming lane changes, curves, or stops. New drivers tend to fixate on the lane lines and their steering feels wobbly like my one year old grandson who’s just learned what the steering wheel does in his dinosaur truck as I push him through the house. I remember how the car feels like it takes up far more than a single lane and you just have to convince yourself that you’re not over the center line. It’s still that way when I drive my husband’s truck on the rare occasion, but focusing too close can be dangerous because there’s no time to react to what’s just ahead.

Tonight, the nearest driver on the road was at least a hundred yards ahead and the road was clearly lit by my brights. The glorious afterglow of the sunset lit the horizon for a full minute before several cars approached from the opposite direction. I averted my gaze to avoid the glare of oncoming headlights as they bore down on me. It was only a split second each but it was as if my eyes were drawn magnetically to the lights, and between sets of headlamps to the bug spattered windshield that I hadn’t seen before.

Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to unsee something once you’ve seen it? Where just moments before, the skyline and the winding road ahead had my undivided attention, now I began to calculate how much longer my trip would take and how long it’s been since I’ve washed my car, making a mental note to at least clean the windshield soon. My moment of worshipful meditation, making my joyful noise unto the Lord along with the Christian radio, was cut short by the briefest interruption. In that moment, I had a choice. I could follow the rabbit trail or redirect my gaze.

Maybe I’m making too much of a moment in time, but that’s truly what life is- moments strung together into hours, days, weeks, months, years. Each moment belongs to my lifetime but not only to mine. We exist in a continuum, souls inhabiting planet earth in our own times and places.

“From one man he made all the people of the world.

Now they live all over the earth.

He decided exactly when they should live.

And he decided exactly where they should live.

God did this so that people would seek him.

And perhaps they would reach out for him and find him.

They would find him even though he is not far from any of us.

‘In him we live and move and exist.’”

Acts 17:26-28 NIRV

https://bible.com/bible/110/act.17.26-28.NIRV

Only God transcends time and space. He is bound by neither, having neither beginning nor end. He was, is, and is to come;(Revelation 4:8) ever-present, all-knowing, and all-powerful.

“But God loves us deeply.

He is full of mercy.

So he gave us new life because of what Christ has done.

He gave us life even when we were dead in sin.

God’s grace has saved you.

God raised us up with Christ.

He has seated us with him in his heavenly kingdom.

That’s because we belong to Christ Jesus.

He has done it to show the riches of his grace for all time to come.

His grace can’t be compared with anything else.

He has shown it by being kind to us.

He was kind to us because of what Christ Jesus has done.

God’s grace has saved you because of your faith in Christ.

Your salvation doesn’t come from anything you do.

It is God’s gift.

It is not based on anything you have done.

No one can brag about earning it.

We are God’s creation.

He created us to belong to Christ Jesus.

Now we can do good works.

Long ago God prepared these works for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:4-10 NIRV

https://bible.com/bible/110/eph.2.4-10.NIRV

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Colossians 3:1-3 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/col.3.1-3.NLT

Expect distractions. As surely as you fix your gaze heavenward, life happens. Rather than getting bogged down in the details, keep your eyes on Jesus. Redirect your gaze as often as necessary. One more time at a time. You can trust God with every last detail.

“I start the day,

the war begins.

Endless reminding of my sin.

And time and time again

Your truth is drowned out by the storm I’m in…

I can’t live by what I feel but by the truth your word revealed”

-Casting Crowns https://youtu.be/TnkkZLdjf9Y

“Shortly before dawn, Jesus went out to the disciples.

He walked on the lake.

They saw him walking on the lake and were terrified.

“It’s a ghost!” they said.

And they cried out in fear.

Right away Jesus called out to them,

“Be brave! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, is it you?” Peter asked. “If it is, tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” Jesus said.

So Peter got out of the boat.

He walked on the water toward Jesus.

But when Peter saw the wind, he was afraid.

He began to sink.

He cried out, “Lord! Save me!”

Right away Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.

“Your faith is so small!” he said. “Why did you doubt me?”

When they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.

Then those in the boat worshiped Jesus.

They said, “You really are the Son of God!””

Matthew 14:25-33 NIRV

https://bible.com/bible/110/mat.14.25-33.NIRV

“Oh soul are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see.

There’s light for a look at the Savior

And life more abundant and free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace.”

-Helen H. Lemmel, 1922

Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus | Hymnary.org