A Lens Correction

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
Hebrews 12:1b-2a (NIV)

Arise and shine, dear one! God is with you!

“Tell me which one is clearer, number one or number two.”

If you’ve ever gone to the eye doctor to correct your vision, you know these words well. As I sat in that chair, trying to decide which lens gave me the sharpest view, I began to wonder if my spiritual vision needed correcting too. Was I looking through the right lens? Were my eyes focused on what they should be?

The author of Hebrews uses the image of a race. We are called to run with perseverance, pressing on when life gets hard and when answers to our prayers don’t come right away. We don’t quit when trials arrive. We keep going, because we know God hasn’t let go of us.

Notice the small but important detail in this verse: it’s the race marked out for us. We aren’t meant to compare our race to someone else’s or try to run theirs for them. We don’t get to trade our path for an easier one. Even when our course has steep hills and difficult turns, it is the one set before us, and we can trust the One who traced it out.

As we put one foot in front of the other, where we look will determine where we go. We keep our eyes on Jesus, not looking back at the past, wishing for days gone by or longing to turn around. We can’t be distracted by what’s beside us, by who the other runners are or where they’re positioned. We fix our eyes on Jesus. He is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, and He already knows what lies ahead.

We know our spiritual vision is clear when we look through the lens of Scripture and focus our gaze on Jesus. So how is your spiritual eyesight, dear one? Do you need a lens correction? Go to God’s Word today and ask the Holy Spirit to help you see how to run the race marked out for you.