HEBREWS 12:1-2 – 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.
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT:GETTING A CLEAR VIEW. Something was wrong. It had to be the age of the books, the yellowed pages, maybe the lighting in my office. The words in every book I own had developed a flaw. Pages once clear became blurred. The fine print went to even finer print. Something wasn’t right. I probably just need to up the light bulb wattage in my desk lamps. I always had great eyesight. Glasses? Me? Never. No, it wasn’t about me. Adamantly denying any ownership of the problem didn’t help much. I was reduced to limited options. I could embrace my stubborn pride, transform my library to audio books and listen to the Bible instead of reading it or swallow a little humble pie and get to an eye doctor. Today I wear glasses. I am reconciled with my library and my desk lamps did not become flood lamps.
The potential for poor eyesight doesn’t just lie in the physical realm. Blurred vision may become reality at any time in our Christian life. And what is blurred vision in the Christian life? It is when we fail to heed today’s reference resulting in life lived not enflamed with love for the Lord Jesus Christ, jealous for His glory, and sacrificing for the good of others in Christ’s name.
I have a book in my library entitled LOOKING TO JESUS by a godly man named Isaac Ambrose. It was penned in the 17th century and was a result of a deep trial in Ambrose’s life. In the recommendation of the book we find this description, “This excellent man had just risen from the bed of severe illness, and when a lively sense of what Jesus had done for his own soul was vividly impressed upon his mind, and intensely engaged his affections, that he formed the design of unfolding, more fully, both for his own edification, and that of others, and for the glory of Christ, the great gospel duty of looking unto Jesus; and he then resolved, that if his health should be restored, and his life prolonged, he would dedicate the first, and best hours, of renewed strength, to this delightful theme.” Ambrose was restored, wrote his book which is 694 pages long on the single theme of LOOKING TO JESUS. No one writes like that without a clear vision of and passionate love for the risen Christ! There were at least two things from Ambrose’s experience helping us avoid “blurred vision” in our gaze upon the Lord Jesus. First, Ambrose received “a lively sense of what Jesus had done for his own soul.” To be able to live life in the awareness of Christ’s glorious presence, we must visit the Gospel often. We must look upon HIS work done for our souls. To ignore or neglect thinking long and often on the Gospel will cause blurred spiritual vision. We lose the wonder of salvation. Secondly, this sense of the Gospel work in Ambrose intensely engaged his affections. Looking to Jesus includes deep affections for Jesus. We should be very cautious to proclaim “We love the Lord” unless we are striving to walk as He walked. John writes, Whoever says “I know Him” but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him (1 JOHN 2:4-5). The evidence of our affections for Christ is not what we say, but how we live and the Christian life is it to be lived striving to abide in Him or looking unto Jesus. Ambrose’s life was one of enduring love for Christ because of his looking unto Jesus. Getting a clear view and keeping the “spiritual glasses” clean ensures not only our greatest joy in Him and affections for Him, but promotes His glory!
PRAYER: “Father, grant us an unrestricted view of the Glory of Your Son that we may reflect such glory.”
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